Major World Cup sponsor facing mass protest before Mexico vs South Korea clash at Estadio Akron

Fresh protests are set to take place around the 2026 World Cup as activists prepare a demonstration ahead of Mexico's Group A clash with South Korea at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara.

The rally will focus on FIFA sponsor Hyundai and its commercial links to steel production giant Ternium, which has faced criticism from environmental and human rights campaign groups.

Hyundai sponsor deal will be targeted by protesters before Mexico vs South Korea

As per the Guardian, a demonstration is planned at Guadalajara's Plaza de La Liberacion before El Tricolour's latest World Cup fixture, with organisers aiming to draw attention to the issue of Mexico's 130,000 missing persons and concerns surrounding mining activities in the country.

The protest centres on Hyundai's relationship with Ternium, a major steel producer that supplies materials used in Hyundai's manufacturing operations.

Campaigners point to allegations surrounding environmental damage and wider concerns linked to the disappearance of activists Ricardo Arturo Lagunes Gasca and Antonio Diaz Valencia in 2023 after they attended an anti-mining meeting in Michoacan.

Hyundai and Kia are among FIFA's major World Cup sponsors and official mobility partners, providing hundreds of vehicles and buses for tournament operations across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Ternium has strongly denied any involvement in the activists' disappearance and says it operates within the law while maintaining high standards of corporate responsibility.

The planned demonstration follows a series of protests that have already accompanied the tournament in Mexico, including clashes between protesters and police outside Estadio Azteca before the opening match.

FGG says: More unwanted headlines for FIFA

The last thing FIFA will want is another major protest dominating headlines around a World Cup fixture.

While this demonstration is focused on wider political and social issues rather than football itself, it continues a trend of off-field controversy that has followed the tournament's opening fixture in Mexico.

After the scenes outside Estadio Azteca before the opener, organisers will be hoping any demonstrations around Guadalajara remain peaceful and do not distract from the action on the pitch.