The 2026 World Cup gets underway tonight when co-hosts Mexico face South Africa in their opening Group A fixture at Estadio Azteca, a match that doubles as a nostalgic callback to the 2010 tournament opener in Johannesburg.
This is the first of 104 games in the expanded 48-team era, and it carries symbolic weight for Mexico, the first nation in history to host the men’s World Cup three times.
El Tri staged legendary editions in 1970 and 1986, and now share hosting duties with the United States and Canada for this summer’s tournament. That pedigree alone has raised expectations, but the team enters with something to prove after a disappointing exit in Qatar 2022, when they failed to reach the knockout stage for the first time since 1978.
Head coach Javier Aguirre returns for a third stint in charge, having been appointed in 2024. At 67, he inherits a squad ranked 14th by FIFA and spared the grind of CONCACAF qualifying because of host-nation status.
Mexico’s recent form has been a mix of highs and lows. After winning the CONCACAF Nations League and lifting the Gold Cup in July last year, El Tri hit a post-trophy slump and went six friendlies without a win to close 2025.
The mood shifted in 2026. Mexico held Portugal and Belgium to respectable draws, then built momentum with three straight wins over Ghana, Australia, and Serbia, the last a 5-1 rout in Toluca last Friday.
They have not lost any of their last seven World Cup openers since 1994, and an 83,000-strong crowd at Azteca tonight will expect that record to hold. Three points against South Africa would put them in control of Group A before they face South Korea and the Czech Republic.
South Africa arrive for their fourth World Cup appearance and their first since hosting in 2010. Bafana Bafana endured three straight failed qualification campaigns for 2014, 2018, and 2022, but punched their ticket this cycle after a dramatic CAF finale.
A 3-0 win over Rwanda in the final round, combined with Nigeria’s 4-0 thrashing of group leaders Benin, pushed them to the top with 18 points from 10 matches despite a three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho.
Belgian coach Hugo Broos has been in charge since 2021, and South Africa sit 60th in the world rankings and 11th among African nations. Bookmakers list them as outsiders to advance from a group that also includes South Korea and the Czech Republic.
Recent form has not helped their cause. Since reaching the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 at the start of the year, South Africa have gone four friendlies without a win. They drew and lost to Panama in March, were held scoreless by Nicaragua in May, and then played Jamaica behind closed doors last Saturday in a match initially reported as a 1-0 win.
Eight hours later the result was corrected to 1-1, and Broos admitted afterward that the performance fell short and promised a deeper review of what went wrong.
Bafana Bafana will be chasing their first victory over Mexico since a 2-1 win at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July 2005.
Team News : South Africa
South Africa's Aubrey Modiba is in contention to start at left-back after recovering from a hamstring injury and completing a full training session earlier this week, while Ime Okon and Mbekezeli Mbokazi could be selected to start at the heart of the defence.
Teboho Mokoena, Thalente Mbatha and Yaya Sithole are all set to link arms in a three-man midfield, with Broos likely to deploy a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation that allows Khuliso Mudau and Modiba to provide width as full-backs.
Oswin Appollis directly contributed to a team-high six goals in World Cup qualifying (two goals, four assists) and the Orlando Pirates winger could provide support in attack for Burnley striker Lyle Foster, who scored in the 1-1 draw with Jamaica last time out.
South Africa possible starting lineup: Williams; Mudau, Mbokazi, Okon, Modiba; Mbatha, Sithole, Mokoena; Appollis, Foster, Moremi
Team News : Mexico
As for Mexico, goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is hoping to become the first player to compete at six World Cups this summer, but the 40-year-old faces stern competition from Raul Rangel for a start between the sticks on Thursday.
Captain Edson Alvarez is set to earn his 99th international cap at centre-back alongside Cesar Montes, while Aguirre has a big decision to make over whether to start 17-year-old sensation Gilberto Mora in midfield, or opt for a more experienced head in Orbelin Pineda or Luis Chavez.
New Wolves signing Raul Jimenez will become Mexico’s joint-second all-time leading goalscorer (along with Jared Borgetti on 46 goals) if he find the net once against South Africa.
The 35-year-old striker is likely to be joined in attack by Roberto Alvarado and Julian Quinones, the latter scored 33 goals in just 31 Saudi Pro League games for Al-Qadsiah to win the division’s Golden Boot for 2025-26.
Mexico possible starting lineup: Ochoa; Sanchez, Montes, Alvarez, Gallardo; Gutierrez, Fidalgo, Pineda; Alvarado, Jimenez, Quinones
Tonight’s opener is more than a ceremonial start. For Mexico it is a chance to set the tone for a home tournament and erase the memory of Qatar, while for South Africa it is an opportunity to announce their return to the global stage after 16 years away.
The opening kickoff is scheduled for
1:00 p.m. Central Mexico Time
3:00 p.m Eastern Time (E.T)
2:00 p.m Central Time
12:00 p.m. Pacific Time
22:00 p.m. East African Time (EAT)
