Mexico Kicks Off 2026 World Cup with Dominant 2-0 Win Over South Africa

Co-hosts Mexico delivered a strong performance to open the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating South Africa 2-0 in front of a capacity crowd of 80,824 at Mexico City's legendary Azteca Stadium. The win provides a crucial three points for El Tri in Group A as they embark on their journey in what is set to be the largest World Cup tournament in history, spread across 16 venues in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

The home side wasted no time making an impact, with Julián Quiñones finding the net in just the ninth minute to give Mexico an early lead. The Colombian-born forward, who was a standout scorer in the Saudi league this past season, was one of six players making their World Cup debut for the national team. Mexico then solidified their advantage in the 66th minute when veteran striker Raúl Jiménez added a second goal with a well-placed header, marking his 46th international goal and placing him second all-time for Mexico alongside Jared Borgetti.

While Mexico celebrated a decisive victory, the match was not without its disciplinary moments. A total of three red cards were issued during the contest: two for South Africa, leading to Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane's early exits, and one for Mexico's César Montes in injury time. This opening triumph sets a positive tone for Mexico, who will be looking to improve upon their first-round exit at the previous World Cup in Qatar.