Protesters to rally against World Cup sponsor Hyundai before Mexico game

Hyundai will be targeted by protesters at a rally before the Group A game between Mexico and South Korea in Guadalajara on Thursday, due to the World Cup sponsor’s business dealings with the South American mining company Ternium.

A 2025 report from the environmental group Mighty Earth criticised Hyundai’s involvement in what they described as a “dirty steel supply chain”, as the South Korean motor company is a major buyer of iron ore from Ternium for use in steel production. Ternium has faced repeated criticisms for its destructive environmental impact and corporate governance policies from campaign groups, as well as its alleged links to the disappearance of two Mexican activists.

A rally will take place at the Plaza de La Liberación in Guadalajara, to highlight the fate of Mexico’s so-called 130,000 disappeared, some of whom worked in the mining industry.

Three years ago two men went missing in Guadalajara after being critical of Ternium for its role in the alleged destruction of rural areas. Ricardo Arturo Lagunes Gasca, a renowned human rights lawyer, and Antonio Díaz Valencia, leader of the Aquila Indigenous community in the state of Michoacán, disappeared after attending an anti-mining community meeting in January 2023. The Guardian reported eyewitnesses at the time stating that the two activists were threatened and followed by several men in cars and motorbikes after they left the meeting in Aquila and headed towards the neighbouring state of Colima. Lagunes and Díaz were travelling in a white Honda pickup truck that was later found abandoned on the side of a highway riddled with bullets but no blood.

The protesters at the rally on Friday will accuse Hyundai of sportswashing by signing World Cup sponsorship deals and hold placards urging the company to show Ternium the red card. Hyundai and Kia are Fifa’s official mobility partners for the World Cup as part of a deal that also involves them providing transport for players, referees and other officials during the tournament. Hyundai has supplied Fifa with a fleet of 994 cars and 506 buses across the US, Canada and Mexico, while Kia will deploy 660 vehicles across North America.

Protest movements have been a significant feature of the Mexican element of the World Cup. Striking teachers succeeded in forcing road closures around the Estadio Azteca last week before the opening match between Mexico and South Africa, where about 200 protesters fought with police after attempting to force entry into the stadium.

Ternium Mexico has categorically denied any involvement in the disappearances. “Ternium expresses its solidarity with the families of the missing men, and with the community of Aquila,” a spokesperson said. “Ternium is against any type of violence and categorically rejects any speculation and/or defamation that tries to associate it with any type of illegal activity.

“We always operate within the law and with a broad sense of social responsibility. Ternium is a leading public company in the manufacture of steel in Latin America, which operates transparently and under the highest standards of control in all its operations.”

A spokesperson for Hyundai said: “As a long-term partner of the Fifa World Cup, Hyundai Motor believes football can bring people together. At Hyundai Motor, we are committed to holding our suppliers to the highest standards, and we enforce a strict Supplier Code of Conduct.

“We and our affiliates continue to conduct ongoing training, audits, and supply chain due diligence to identify and address potential issues across our global operations.”