FIFA invited South Korean YouTuber Yoon Su-jin, known as Inocat, to attend South Korea’s group-stage World Cup match against Mexico on June 18, 2026, in Guadalajara, Mexico. The invitation came after Yoon was targeted by a racist gesture during South Korea’s opening match against the Czech Republic on June 11, also held in Mexico [1, 2, 3, 4].
The man who made the offensive slant-eye gesture from the stands behind Yoon was identified as Ulises Fernando Bernal Miramontes, president of a local engineering college or guild in Jalisco, Mexico [1, 2, 3, 4]. After being identified, FIFA blocked Bernal Miramontes from accessing future tickets [1, 3].
Bernal Miramontes publicly apologized for his actions, saying, “I have taken time to reflect on what happened and want to express my most sincere apologies in a clear and respectful manner.” He was subsequently removed from his leadership position [1, 3, 4].
Yoon Su-jin, who has more than 6.6 million YouTube subscribers and over 2 million TikTok followers, documented the incident in his content, drawing widespread attention [1, 3, 4].
The South Korea vs Mexico match on June 18 coincides with the International Day for Countering Hate Speech. FIFA announced the match would promote a message of inclusion, reinforcing its stance against discrimination in football [1, 2, 3, 4].
Yoon attended the Mexico game as FIFA’s guest. The event marks a firm response to racism in the tournament less than a week after the incident on June 11 [1, 2, 3, 4].
