In the United States, often considered a barren ground for soccer, the signing of Son Heung-Min has expanded attention to both Major League Soccer (MLS) and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to a survey of Korean Americans conducted by The Korea Daily from August 15 to 22 through its website (koreadaily.com), 60% said they became interested in LAFC and MLS for the first time because of Son. Only 3.4% said they had occasionally followed LAFC before, and 3% already had strong interest in MLS.
The survey also found that more than 70% of respondents plan to attend LAFC matches in person, with 30% saying they “will definitely attend” and 40.4% saying they “would like to attend if possible.” Another 15.5% said they plan to watch through TV or online broadcasts, showing widespread interest in Son’s games. Jersey sales are rising as well: 34.6% (196 people) said they had already purchased or planned to purchase Son Heung-Min’s LAFC jersey, while 39.7% (225 people) said they were considering buying one.
Interest is extending to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will include matches in Los Angeles. Of those surveyed, 33.5% said they planned to buy tickets for World Cup games, while 35.6% expressed interest but had not decided yet. A large majority—86.8%—believe Son’s move to LAFC will have a positive impact on the Korean American community. More than 200 respondents also left personal support messages for Son Heung-Min with their answers.
The survey gathered responses from 567 Korean Americans across the country, from teenagers to seniors. Participants were based in Los Angeles, Orange County, Texas, New York, Chicago, Maryland, Virginia, Nevada, and other regions nationwide.
BY YOONJAE JUNG [jung.yoonjae@koreadaily.com]
AND YEOL JANG [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]
