Red Devils Also Announce "Cheering with a Louder Voice" Position
The so-called 'Table Tennis Gate' protagonist Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) rejoining the national team without any minimum disciplinary action sparked a boycott movement for the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Thailand. Amid this, the Korea Football Association announced that tickets for the match have sold out.
The Korea Football Association announced that tickets for the second round qualifier match against Thailand in the 2026 CONCACAF FIFA World Cup, to be held on the 21st at Seoul World Cup Stadium, have sold out. [Image source=Instagram capture]
On the 13th, the Korea Football Association posted on Instagram, "The 2026 FIFA World Cup Asia Second Qualifier match against Thailand is completely sold out," and expressed gratitude to football fans for their support. Following this, the national team supporters group Red Devils stated on Instagram, "The essence of the Red Devils is to support the South Korean national football players," adding, "The moment we stray from that essence, the Red Devils lose their reason for existence." The Red Devils emphasized, "This incident is the fault of the Football Association, and there is no reason for the players on the field not to receive support," and declared, "We will cheer louder for the players in the upcoming two matches against Thailand without any boycott." The Red Devils maintained their stance, having consistently held the Football Association responsible for the Asian Cup national team internal conflict.
Upon hearing the news of the sold-out Thailand match and the Red Devils' position, netizens responded with comments such as "I was the only one sincere again," "Jung Mong-gyu probably won't even go to the stadium, so shouting for him to leave there won't have any impact. The crisis will only be felt if tickets don't sell and money doesn't come in," and "I will continue to participate in the boycott until the end."
Previously, the day before the Asian Cup semifinal match, incidents such as Son Heung-min getting injured due to Lee Kang-in's insubordination occurred. However, when interim national team coach Hwang Sun-hong announced the national team roster for the match including Lee Kang-in without any disciplinary action, some voices called for a boycott of the match.
Football YouTuber '4231' appealed, "Football Association chairman Jung Mong-gyu has pushed players to the edge for his own personal gain. The players have no choice but to remain silent. Now, we will act on behalf of the players," urging, "Please leave your seats (at the Thailand match). For the happiness of the players and the future of South Korean football, Jung Mong-gyu must leave, and spectators should vacate their seats. Your one day of watching live could destroy 30 years of the players' careers." The channel operator also created and shared a poster-style image calling for a boycott of the match attendance. Netizens responded with comments like "I will join the boycott," "Players who deserve punishment should be punished, and those responsible must take responsibility," "Why pick Lee Kang-in? I won't watch this football anymore," and "Jung Mong-gyu OUT."
On the 11th, Coach Hwang announced the national team roster for the two-match series against Thailand in the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asia Second Qualifier at the Football Association Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Key players including captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), Lee Kang-in, and Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) were all included. The 'Hwang Sun-hong squad' will gather at Goyang Sports Complex on the 18th to prepare for the two matches against Thailand.
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