Cheering zone at Gwanghwamun Square capped at 6,000

190 safety personnel and 115 police officers to be deployed

Heat-relief shelters to operate amid midday temperatures

Heat illness prevention and emergency transport systems in place

Safe transit support at Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung stations

Nearby Ttareungyi bike stations to be temporarily closed

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon (right) receives a briefing on safety preparations for the World Cup street cheering event at Gwanghwamun Square on Thursday. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon (right) receives a briefing on safety preparations for the World Cup street cheering event at Gwanghwamun Square on Thursday. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday it is activating a comprehensive safety plan ahead of public cheering events at Gwanghwamun Square for the 2026 North America World Cup group stage, which begin Friday.

The matches are scheduled mostly in the morning — including an 11 a.m. kickoff Friday — meaning crowds will converge during the peak commute hour, with games running past noon and into the midday heat. In response, the city plans to work with organizers — the Korea Football Association, the Red Devils supporters group and KT Corp — to run a tight safety operation covering crowd management, traffic, medical support and heat response.

An on-site command center will monitor conditions in real time, and the city plans to maintain close coordination with police, fire departments and medical institutions to respond swiftly to any emergencies.

To prevent safety incidents from crowd congestion, the cheering zone at Gwanghwamun Square will be capped at 6,000 people. Organizers will deploy 190 safety personnel on the day to manage crowd flow and maintain order.

Separately, 115 riot police officers will be deployed in cooperation with the Korean National Police Agency to enable an immediate on-site response in the event of a disaster or safety incident.

Given that the matches take place during the hottest part of the day, the city will conduct continuous on-site monitoring to prevent heat illness among attendees and will station medical staff to provide first aid and arrange hospital transport for serious cases.

Cooling shelters equipped with air coolers and fans will also remain in continuous operation to protect against heat illness from prolonged sun exposure. Organizers plan to distribute bottled water to attendees and provide cooling supplies — including cooling towels, seat cushions and sun caps — through on-site events.

Additional staff from Seoul Metro and the organizers will be deployed at Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung stations before and after matches to handle the expected surge in public transit use. Significant congestion is anticipated along Gwanghwamun Square, Sejongno and Jongno, as well as at nearby subway stations and bus stops, and the city said it will support safe movement for commuters and attendees.

To ensure pedestrian safety and smooth event operations, some Ttareungyi public bicycle stations near the venue will be temporarily closed, and shared personal mobility devices and electric bicycles in the area will be suspended in cooperation with private operators. Public restrooms around Gwanghwamun Square will also be opened to minimize inconvenience for participants.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited Gwanghwamun Square in person Thursday around 5 p.m. to inspect the cheering area, pedestrian routes and safety facility installations.

"Gwanghwamun street cheering is a signature Korean fan culture enjoyed by people around the world, so safety must be managed to the highest global standard," Oh said. "From crowd flow management to emergency medical response, put citizen safety first and build a Seoul-style safe cheering model."

Public cheering events for the 2026 North America World Cup will be held at Gwanghwamun Square for all three group stage matches: against the Czech Republic on Friday at 11 a.m., Mexico on June 19 at 10 a.m. and South Africa on June 25 at 10 a.m. A stage and large screens will be set up across the Gwanghwamun Square area so residents can watch and cheer together.


ikson@heraldcorp.com