Co-hosts Mexico made a winning start to the FIFA World Cup 2026, defeating South Africa 2-0 in the tournament’s opening match at a packed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday.

Roared on by a passionate home crowd, El Tri seized control early and never looked back as they claimed the first victory of the expanded 48-team World Cup.

Julian Quiñones gave the hosts the perfect start, opening the scoring in the ninth minute to send the capacity crowd into celebration. Mexico dominated possession and created the better opportunities throughout the first half, while South Africa struggled to establish any rhythm.

The task became even more difficult for Bafana Bafana early in the second half when they were reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of midfielder Sithole in the 50th minute. Mexico took full advantage of their numerical superiority and continued to pile pressure on the South African defence.

Veteran striker Raúl Jiménez eventually doubled Mexico’s lead in the 67th minute, scoring his first-ever World Cup goal to effectively seal the contest. The goal sparked another wave of celebrations among the home supporters, who sensed their team was on course for an important opening victory.

South Africa’s frustrations deepened late in the match when they were reduced to nine players after a second red card, this time to Zwane, whose dismissal followed a VAR review.

The result marked a significant moment for Mexico, who had entered the tournament seeking their first victory in a World Cup opening match. It also avenged the disappointment of the 1-1 draw the two nations played out in the opening game of the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg, exactly 16 years earlier.

For South Africa, the defeat is an early setback in Group A, which also includes South Korea and Czechia. Hugo Broos’ side will now need positive results in their remaining group matches to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.

Mexico, meanwhile, move to the top of Group A and have given their home fans every reason to believe they can make a deep run in a tournament being jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada.

German players have stepped up to ease fans’ pain from soaring transport costs at the World Cup, offering ​to pay for 600 of them to travel ‌by bus to their last Group E game against Ecuador in New Jersey on June 25, media reports said.

City authorities hiked rail and ​bus fares from New York to the MetLife ​Stadium in New Jersey by several times citing ⁠increased pressure on the public transit systems.

That triggered a backlash ​from fans who have already paid high prices for match tickets.

“In ​light of the high cost of bus and train travel in New York during the World Cup, the German national team players ​have organised free transport to the final group match ​for 600 fans,” the BBC quoted the German Football Association as ‌saying.

“Captain ⁠Joshua Kimmich and his teammates are covering the cost of buses to take supporters from New York to the arena in New Jersey for the match against Ecuador.”

Reuters could ​not immediately ​confirm the ⁠statement.

A round trip to the stadium by train, which usually costs $12.90, has been set at $98 during ​World Cup games, down from the originally proposed $150 ​fare ⁠after NJ Transit faced heavy criticism.

Shuttle buses will cost $20, down from the initial $80 price tag.

Transport was free for fans at ⁠the ​last two World Cups in Russia ​and Qatar.

Four-time champions Germany will begin their campaign in Houston against Curacao on ​SundaY.

-Reuters

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By Kunle Solaja
Special Correspondent, en route to Vancouver and New York

As this reporter journeys across North America—from Vancouver on Canada’s Pacific coast to New York on the Atlantic seaboard—the countdown to the FIFA World Cup is almost over. As the tournament kicks off this Thursday, 11 June 2026, at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, football fans around the globe will witness more than just the opening match of the biggest World Cup in history.

They will be watching history repeat itself.

The opening fixture between Mexico and South Africa is a remarkable replay of the match that launched the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg exactly 16 years ago, on the very same date—11 June. On that occasion, Siphiwe Tshabalala’s thunderous strike sent Soccer City into ecstasy before Rafael Marquez salvaged a 1-1 draw for Mexico. Sixteen years later, the same two nations meet again to raise the curtain on another World Cup.

The symbolism is striking. In 2010, South Africa became the first African nation to host the World Cup and opened the tournament against Mexico. In 2026, Mexico becomes the first country in history to host the World Cup three times and opens the tournament against South Africa.

Mexico and the Opening Match

No country is more closely associated with World Cup opening matches than Mexico.

According to World Cup records, Mexico will be appearing in the tournament’s opening match for the eighth time, more than any other nation. Their previous appearances came in 1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1970, 2010 and now 2026.

The Estadio Azteca, meanwhile, enters football immortality as the first stadium ever to host three World Cup opening matches, having previously staged the tournament curtain-raisers in 1970 and 1986.

African Teams and World Cup Openers

African teams have traditionally had only limited involvement in opening matches.

Before South Africa’s appearance in 2010, African nations had featured only occasionally in opening-day encounters. The host nation traditionally opened the tournament in the early years, while from 1974 to 2002, the defending champions were guaranteed a place in the opening match. Since 2006, FIFA has reverted to the host-nation tradition.

As a result, African teams have appeared in opening matches mainly when drawn against hosts, defending champions or when serving as hosts themselves. In 1990, Cameroon stunned defending champions, a Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina. South Africa’s clash with Mexico in 2010 also remains a memorable African opening fixture because it marked the first World Cup ever staged on African soil.

Now, Bafana Bafana has become the only African team to feature in two World Cup opening matches, and remarkably, both have come against Mexico.

A Tournament of Firsts

Beyond the historical coincidence, World Cup 2026 will itself be unprecedented.

The tournament expands from 32 to 48 teams, making it the largest World Cup ever staged. A record 104 matches will be played across three host countries—the United States, Mexico and Canada—the first time the competition has been jointly hosted by three nations.

For Africa, the expanded format presents an opportunity. Never before have so many African teams qualified for the finals, increasing hopes that the continent can improve on Morocco’s historic semi-final appearance in Qatar four years ago.

The Ghosts of 2010

For older football followers, Thursday’s opener will inevitably evoke memories of Johannesburg in 2010.

The deafening sound of vuvuzelas, Tshabalala’s iconic goal, Nelson Mandela’s emotional presence at the tournament, and Africa’s moment on football’s grandest stage remain among the defining images of World Cup history.

That opening match ended in a draw. Neither side could have imagined then that they would meet again 16 years later to launch another World Cup.

Yet football has a habit of producing such coincidences.

As the countdown reaches its final hours, the world’s attention turns once again to Mexico and South Africa. The venue may have changed from Soccer City to the Azteca. The host may have switched from South Africa to Mexico. But the sense of anticipation remains the same.

History rarely offers a second opening act. On Thursday, the FIFA World Cup gets one

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