North Korea's anthem played for South Korea's field hockey team at Asian Games 2026

Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium witnessed an unexpected turn of events ahead of South Korea's men's field hockey match against Bangladesh at the 2026 Asian Games. The confusion began when the organiser's speakers played North Korea's anthem instead of South Korea's, leaving the South Korean players visibly puzzled. Some players stood at attention, while others covered their faces with their hands.

In response, the event organizers promptly corrected the mistake, playing Bangladesh's anthem before the South Korean team. The incident, described as an "awkward mishap," left the South Korean players visibly perplexed as they stood with their hands over their hearts in front of the South Korean flag. Despite the confusion, South Korea went on to secure a convincing 5-0 victory over Bangladesh, facing Indonesia in their next match on September 22.

The incident occurred a day before the official opening ceremony of the Asian Games, which was set to take place on September 19.