News Focus
- Mexican armed forces intercepted and neutralised an unregistered drone hovering close to South Korea’s team base
- The security breach occurred ahead of Thursday’s Group A fixture between the Asian side and tournament co-hosts Mexico
- Head coach Hong Myung-bo confirmed the incident took place before tactical sessions, meaning no secrets were exposed
- Authorities have disabled multiple aircraft this week as part of the massive “Plan Kukulkán” security operation
- Investigators have not confirmed whether the device was attempting to spy on training or if any arrests followed
Armed forces in Mexico have shot down an unauthorised drone that was spotted flying close to where South Korea’s national squad are preparing for their upcoming World Cup clash. Security personnel employed advanced detection systems to identify the unregistered aircraft near the Asian side’s accommodation, before taking action to bring it down.
A federal agent, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, confirmed the military used specialist equipment to track and neutralise the threat. Both nations began their Group A campaigns with victories last week. However, officials remain uncertain whether the drone intended to gather intelligence on South Korea’s preparations before their meeting with the co-hosts.
Hong Myung-bo, who manages the South Korean side, described the security breach as unfortunate but explained it caused minimal disruption. “We noticed the aircraft during our session,” said the coach. “Luckily, this happened just before we started working on our tactical plans, so our preparations remained unaffected. Still, the timing was poor given how crucial this period is for match readiness.”
This intervention forms part of a broader safety strategy combining military and police resources for the ongoing tournament. The 2026 World Cup kicked off on 11 June in Mexico City and continues across three host nations until 19 July. The spokesperson declined to specify exactly when the drone appeared or if anyone faced arrest. They did confirm, however, that security teams have disabled multiple aircraft in recent days after they entered restricted zones surrounding venues in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, plus team accommodations and supporter festivals.
Authorities unveiled “Plan Kukulkán” in March, deploying roughly 100,000 officers from federal and local agencies. The comprehensive scheme covers alert systems, stadium protection, transport routes, hotel safety, and safeguarding of players, officials and spectators. Across the border in Canada, officials have prohibited private drones from operating above stadiums and practice grounds in Vancouver and Toronto until 7 July, when the final match takes place there.
The incident recalls last year’s controversy when Canada’s women’s team faced accusations of deploying drones to observe New Zealand’s preparations before their Olympic opener in Paris. That affair resulted in suspensions for two assistants and head coach Bev Priestman, who later lost her position, while the reigning Olympic champions suffered a six-point deduction in their group. The national federation concluded this represented not merely a single mistake but evidence of wider supervisory failures within their setup.