Early Morning Cheering for Mexico Match Spurs Convenience Store Boom... Gwanghwamun Sales Up to 3.8 Times Higher

Street Cheering for North America World Cup Group Stage Spurs Sales

CU, GS25, Seven Eleven, and E-Mart24 Stores All See Increases

Highballs, Beer, and Drinks Popular... Ready Meals Also in High Demand

Sales at convenience stores near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul surged by up to nearly fourfold as crowds gathered for early morning cheering events to watch the group stage match between South Korea and Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup North America.

Citizens who joined the World Cup street cheering are browsing products at a CU convenience store near Gwanghwamun. Provided by BGF Retail

According to industry sources on June 20, CU convenience stores operated by BGF Retail saw sales at more than 10 locations near Gwanghwamun increase by 3.8 times compared to the previous day, thanks to street cheering for the match against Mexico the previous day.

Specifically, sales of ice rose by 332.5%, bottled water by 301.0%, iced drinks by 266.6%, carbonated beverages by 154.5%, and ice cream by 178.8%. Among alcoholic drinks, highballs jumped by 514.3%, while beer (234.1%), wine (220.8%), and soju (174.4%) also saw significant increases.

In addition, demand for ready-to-eat foods and snacks soared, with triangular kimbap up 165.8%, sandwiches up 102.3%, and gimbap up 101.5%. Sales of freshly prepared chicken rose by 255.1%, dried snacks by 190.1%, other snacks by 177.4%, and bread by 66.7%. Sales of convenience items also increased, including wet wipes (198.4%), tissues (180.1%), mats (303.3%), sunscreen (151.4%), and portable batteries (104.5%).

Pickup orders also soared, with the number of CU pick-up orders on the day of the match against Mexico rising by 5.2 times compared to the monthly average. The most popular pickup items were cup ice, bottled water, gimbap, iced drinks, and cup dakgangjeong (fried chicken bites), in that order.

Citizens who joined the World Cup street cheering are browsing products at the GS25 convenience store near Gwanghwamun. Provided by BGF Retail

At GS25 convenience stores operated by GS Retail, sales at Gwanghwamun area stores on the day of the match increased by 183.7% compared to the same day last year and by 38% from the previous day. By category, beer sales soared 693.7% year-on-year, non-alcoholic beer by 3,972.6%, highballs by 516.2%, and cup ice by 568.3%. Bottled water (270.7%) and carbonated beverages (168.4%) also proved popular, while the demand for ready meals such as lunch boxes (142%), rice balls (83%), and sandwiches (106.9%) was high as people combined cheering with lunch.

At Seven Eleven convenience stores operated by Korea Seven, sales at 10 stores near Gwanghwamun Square from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the previous day rose by 304% compared to the day before. Beer sales were up 173 times from the previous day, and non-alcoholic beer sales increased 25 times. Sales of drinks also spiked, with sports drinks up 18 times, tea beverages up 637%, carbonated drinks up 618%, bottled water up 510%, and ice up 334%.

E-Mart24 convenience stores, part of Shinsegae Group, saw sales at stores near Gwanghwamun climb by up to 38% compared to June 18. By product, sales of anju (side dishes for alcohol) rose by 350%, jelly by 194%, snacks by 146%, and ramen by 89%. Sales of bottled water were up 76%, pouch drinks 59%, and carbonated or sports drinks 58%. Beer sales increased by 143%, and cup ice was up 233%.

An industry official stated, "Despite the tournament matches taking place during weekday afternoons, the enthusiasm for cheering has spread through office districts and university areas, leading to much higher sales at nearby convenience stores than usual," adding, "We plan to enhance customer convenience and benefits through a variety of discount promotions in response to the growing national interest."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.