The Show Begins! Mexico and South Africa Kick Off the World Cup

The long wait is over. The FIFA World Cup kicks off tonight with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa in Group A. The opening match is scheduled for 10:00 PM at the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

This will be the first of 104 matches in the expanded 48-team tournament format. Mexico has already made history before even playing a minute, becoming the first nation to host the World Cup three times. In 1970 and 1986, they hosted the biggest football event solo, and now they share hosting duties with the USA and Canada.

Head coach Javier Aguirre will lead "El Tri" to their third World Cup finals across three separate stints at the helm. Appointed in 2024, the 67-year-old inherited a team desperate to atone for their failure at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where they missed the knockout stages for the first time since 1978.

Mexico avoided the arduous CONCACAF qualifiers as co-hosts. After triumphs in the CONCACAF Nations League and the Gold Cup, won last July, the team experienced a dip in form, failing to win any of their last six friendly matches in 2025 (4 draws and 2 losses).

However, "El Tri's" form has improved this year. The team secured respectable draws against Portugal and Belgium, before embarking on a three-game winning streak against Ghana, Australia, and Serbia, thrashing their Western neighbors 5-1 in Toluca last Friday.

Undefeated in their last seven World Cup opening matches since 1994 (5 wins and 2 draws), Mexico will be backed by an anticipated 83,000-strong crowd filling the stadium to capacity. A victory against South Africa would significantly boost "El Tri's" chances of securing the top spot in Group A.

South Africa arrives in North America for their fourth World Cup appearance, marking their return to the prestigious tournament for the first time since hosting the event 16 years ago. Their qualification came after three consecutive unsuccessful attempts for the 2014, 2018, and 2022 editions.

"Bafana Bafana" secured their ticket to the 2026 World Cup this summer after a dramatic conclusion to the African qualifiers. A 3-0 victory in the final round against Rwanda, combined with Nigeria's 4-0 thrashing of group leaders Benin, helped the South Africans secure first place with 18 points from 10 matches (5 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses), despite having three points deducted for fielding an ineligible player in their home win against Lesotho.

Led by Belgian specialist Hugo Broos since 2021, the South African squad enters the tournament ranked 60th in the FIFA rankings. Leading betting sites consider "Bafana Bafana" as outsiders to advance from Group A. After reaching the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, the team recorded a four-match winless streak in friendly games. South Africa drew and lost against Panama during the March international break. This was followed by a goalless draw with Nicaragua at the end of May and a 1-1 draw against Jamaica in their final warm-up match before the 2026 World Cup.

This South African side will be chasing their first victory over Mexico since a 2-1 win in the Gold Cup in July 2005.

The two teams also met at the 2010 World Cup, where Rafael Márquez equalized for "El Tri" in Johannesburg after Siphiwe Tshabalala's opening goal.

Mexico's goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa hopes to become the first player to participate in six World Cups, but the 40-year-old veteran faces stiff competition from Raúl Rangel. "El Tri" captain Edson Álvarez is expected to earn his 99th cap, partnering César Montes in central defense. Coach Aguirre faces a crucial decision on whether to start 17-year-old talent Gilberto Mora in midfield or opt for the more experienced Orbelín Pineda and Luis Chávez.

New Wolverhampton signing Raúl Jiménez will draw level with Jared Borgetti as Mexico's second all-time leading scorer with 46 goals if he finds the net against South Africa. The 35-year-old striker will likely be supported in attack by Roberto Alvarado and Julián Quiñones.

As for South Africa's squad, Aubrey Modiba is in contention for a starting spot at left-back after recovering from a hamstring injury and completing a full training session earlier in the week. In the heart of the defense, Ime Okon and Mbekezeli Mbokazi are expected to start.

In midfield, the trio of Teboho Mokoena, Talente Mbatha, and Sphephelo Sithole is anticipated to feature. Coach Broos will likely employ a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, allowing full-backs Khuliso Mudau and Modiba to provide width in attack.