South Korea – Mexico: the appointment of a South American referee is debated before the Group A clash

As the expected meeting between South Korea and Mexico approaches for the second day of Group A of the 2026 World Cup, the spotlight is placed on the appointment of the main referee of the game. Gustavo Tejera, a Uruguayan official experienced on the international scene, will officiate this poster which could determine the first place of the group.

This element has given rise to concern on the South Korean side. According to several local media and the Mexican media Olé, some South Korean supporters and observers fear that the language barrier will penalize their team: with the exception of Lee Kang-in, the Paris Saint-Germain playmaker who played in the Spanish championship, no player selected by Hong Myung-bo knows Spanish, unlike the Mexican selection who will be able to communicate freely with the refereeing body.

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This situation raises questions about the ability of Korean players to communicate fluidly with the referee during the match, especially on contentious actions or in the management of highlights. Some see this as a significant disadvantage, as the match promises to be competitive.

However, as Olé points out, South Korea has often obtained good results with Spanish-speaking referees: of the five World Cup matches officiated by Spanish or South American officials, the South Koreans won four times. The only defeat dates back to 1954 against Turkey. More recently, during the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, South Korea emerged victorious 2-1 against Portugal under the whistle of Argentinian Facundo Tello, thus validating its historic qualification for the round of 16.

The context around communication and refereeing therefore adds a psychological dimension to this clash between two teams who won their first group match: Mexico against South Africa (2-0), South Korea against the Czech Republic (2-1). The meeting promises to be close, with a place as leader of the group at stake.