Viral Tequila Moment Unites Mexico and South Korea Fans at World Cup

Fans of Mexico and South Korea were the two groups who had something to celebrate on Thursday’s opening day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with both teams winning their matchups. Off the field, fans of both teams went viral after a series of videos showcased the unique friendship between the two nations.

The most widely shared clip showed South Korean fans being stopped from bringing a bottle of tequila into the stadium in Guadalajara. Rather than let the bottle go to waste, they opened it outside the venue and invited nearby Mexican fans to join them. The impromptu celebration quickly spread across social media, with fans from both countries singing, laughing and raising glasses together.

Other videos showed Mexican supporters chanting “Coreano, hermano, ya eres mexicano” (“Korean brother, you’re already Mexican”).

In another clip, Mexican fans tossed a South Korean fan high into the air while celebrating victories for both nations on the tournament’s opening day.

Later that night, Mexican fans were recorded celebrating and dancing to South Korean artist Psy’s global 2012 hit “Gangnam Style” alongside Korea fans.

While the scenes appeared spontaneous, the friendship between the two fan bases dates back to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

That year, Mexico advanced to the knockout stage after South Korea stunned defending champion Germany 2-0 in the group stage. The result allowed Mexico to progress despite a heavy loss to Sweden earlier that day. Mexican fans responded by celebrating South Korea’s victory around the world, including outside the South Korean embassy in Mexico City, where the now-famous chant “Coreano, hermano, ya eres mexicano” was born.

The opening day of the 2026 tournament showed that the bond apparently remains strong.

The friendly atmosphere comes as both teams find themselves in a strong position in Group A. Mexico opened its campaign with a 2-0 win over South Africa, while South Korea rallied from behind to defeat Czechia 2-1.

The two nations are scheduled to meet in Guadalajara on June 18 in a match that could go a long way toward determining who advances to the knockout stage.

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