Waving North Korean flags, clapping wooden blocks together and chanting in unison, the Koreans became the centre of attention before kick-off as fans and media closed in for a better look.
North Korea are appearing in their first World Cup finals since 1966 and have been drawn against Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast in Group G.
Sitting on a worn blanket cast across the stadium's freezing plastic seats, Kim Young-chul clapped and cheered and shouted as a cheer leader directed the group of middle-aged men.
"I came all the way from Pyongyang," Kim told Reuters, proudly sporting his red jacket and scarf with the North's distinctive flag emblazoned on it. "It's a great atmosphere in here."
"If we cheer hard enough with our hearts we can win," he added with a warm smile that revealed poor dental work.
"One goal should be enough I think."
