Mexico Opens the World Cup Against South Africa

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Hooligan Soccer

·10 juin 2026

Mexico Opens the World Cup Against South Africa

If you’re reading this on Wednesday, welcome to matchday minus one of the World Cup opener. If you landed here on Thursday, even better, because you’re probably only a few hours away from the start of the most anticipated international tournament on the planet.

Amid social and political unrest, Mexico faces South Africa this Thursday in the opening match of the World Cup, which will be hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The atmosphere in Mexico feels unusual, as thousands of people are expected to take to the streets on Thursday to protest for a variety of causes: teachers seeking better pay and working conditions, families searching for missing loved ones, healthcare workers, farmers, and other groups fighting for their rights. Those of us who live on this side of the border know what it means to live in Mexico, a country where passion and celebration often coexist with frustration and demands for change.

Vidéos OneFootball

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JUNE 10: Graffiti which reads ‘FIFA Go Home’ is seen on June 10, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

What should be the biggest sporting celebration of the year is being overshadowed for different reasons. Keep an eye on the headlines. But we also came here to talk soccer, and that means Mexico’s debut against South Africa.

Opening Match Familiarity

These two nations have already met in a World Cup opening match, back in 2010 when Bafana Bafana hosted the tournament.

That June 11, sixteen years ago, at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, the Group A clash ended in a 1-1 draw. Siphiwe Tshabalala opened the scoring in the 55th minute before Mexico captain Rafael Márquez rescued a point with an equalizer in the 79th.

Mexico holds another curious World Cup record. El Tri has played more opening matches than any other nation, appearing in seven World Cup openers (0 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses). It is also the only team to have played the opening match in three consecutive tournaments, doing so in 1950, 1954, and 1958.

Thursday will mark Mexico’s eighth World Cup opener, this time in front of a packed Estadio Ciudad de México. For anyone who needs a little more context, yes, we’re talking about the Azteca Stadium, which previously hosted World Cups in 1970 and 1986 and now becomes the first stadium to host matches in three different editions of the tournament.

Full Roster for El Tri

For Thursday’s match, Javier Aguirre will have all 26 players from his World Cup squad available. The biggest question marks remain in goal, where Raúl Rangel and Guillermo Ochoa continue battling for the starting spot. If selected, Ochoa would make history, becoming the first player to appear in six World Cups (Messi and Ronaldo will also hit this milestone, but play later).

There are also lingering questions in midfield. Is captain Edson Álvarez fully fit and ready for a match of this magnitude? Will Gilberto Mora, the youngest player in the tournament, earn a place in the starting lineup or be used off the bench? There are uncertainties out wide as well, but one thing nearly everyone agrees on: Mexico must leave the stadium with all three points and finally give this World Cup the celebration it deserves.

Aguirre’s team does not want anything to go wrong, especially after Gerardo Martino’s squad failed to advance beyond the group stage in 2022.

“More than revenge, I see it as unfinished business from what happened at the last World Cup. I have that hunger to help my teammates and help the fans feel proud. Over the last few months, we’ve built a strong connection with them. I’ve always liked who we are as people. We’re warm, welcoming, and I think this will be a beautiful World Cup,” said Mexico center-back Johan Vásquez.

The Genoa defender also emphasized the unity inside the camp, saying that “we’re all family. The team is very united and ready to make history.”

Brian Gutiérrez also spoke in the hours leading up to Mexico’s debut. Just over a year ago, Gutiérrez was playing for the Chicago Fire in MLS and was practically unknown to many Mexican fans. Now, he is only hours away from appearing in his first World Cup.

“It’s a dream come true for me. I’m happy, excited, and already thinking about June 11,” Gutiérrez said.

“I approach every game looking to enjoy it, as if I were playing in my backyard. Obviously, it’s a dream, but I also understand the responsibility that comes with it,” added the current Chivas player.

South Africa will “fight like lions”

Meanwhile, South Africa head coach Hugo Broos also addressed the media ahead of facing Mexico. Speaking from the FIFA base camp in Pachuca, the Belgian manager insisted that Bafana Bafana will not be an easy opponent and that they will fight “like lions” for an entire nation.

“I heard there are no more South Africa jerseys left for sale in Africa. People bought them all. For those people, we will fight like lions,” he said.

“It will be very important for us to stay focused and not listen to everything happening around us. We know there will be many Mexicans in the stadium, but we have the support of an entire nation.”

Prediction

It’s true that Mexico has raised plenty of questions throughout Javier Aguirre’s tenure. However, more than a month of preparation and the advantage of playing at home could prove decisive. South Africa, after all, has not appeared at a World Cup since 2010.

Mexico may not be particularly ruthless in front of goal, but its greater experience and the altitude, which could become a challenge for the South Africans, point toward a favorable result for El Tri.

There is no doubt that nerves will be a factor for the Mexican side. Hugo Broos’ South Africa arrives in Group A as the perceived underdog, with most predictions placing them behind Mexico, South Korea, and Czechia. The reality, however, is that whichever team wins on Thursday will likely have one foot and a half in the Round of 16.

That should make for a tense and potentially cagey contest. Still, the support of more than 70,000 Mexican fans expected to pack the stadium could provide a major boost for a team looking to make history in its third World Cup on home soil.

Mexico vs. South Africa Match Details

City: Mexico CityStadium: Mexico City StadiumDate: Thursday, June 11Kickoff: 12 p.m. PT / 1 p.m. Mexico City Time / 3 p.m. ET

Head-to-Head HistorySouth Africa 1-1 Mexico (2010 World Cup Group Stage)South Africa 2-1 Mexico (2005 Gold Cup Group Stage)

Last Five Matches

MexicoMexico 5-1 Serbia (June 4, 2026)Mexico 1-0 Australia (May 30, 2026)Mexico 2-0 Ghana (May 22, 2026)Mexico 1-1 Belgium (March 31, 2026)Mexico 0-0 Portugal (March 28, 2026)

South AfricaSouth Africa 1-1 Jamaica (June 6, 2026)South Africa 0-0 Nicaragua (May 29, 2026)South Africa 1-2 Panama (March 31, 2026)South Africa 1-1 Panama (March 27, 2026)South Africa 1-2 Cameroon (January 4, 2026)