World Cup party begins with Mexico downing South Africa | OneFootball

By Jaime Uribarri

Mexico got the 2026 FIFA World Cup started in style.

El Tri dominated nine-man South Africa for a 2-0 victory in Thursday's tournament opener, giving the record three-time World Cup hosts a dream start in front of a raucous crowd of 80,824 fans in Mexico City.

Julián Quiñones made history in the ninth minute, scoring the first goal of the competition after beating goalkeeper Ronwen Williams from just inside the box.

With Chicago Fire FC All-Star defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi in the starting XI, South Africa helped El Tri's cause even more after going down a man early in the second half. 

Sphephelo "Yaya" Sithole saw a 50th-minute red card for a DOGSO foul on Fire product Brian Gutiérrez, who became the first MLS homegrown to start the opening match of a World Cup for Mexico since former Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC center back Carlos Salcedo in 2018. 

It was all Mexico from that point on, with superstar striker Raúl Jiménez nodding in a close-range header shortly after for his first World Cup goal, tying Jared Borgetti for second on El Tri's all-time goalscoring list (46 goals).

Referee Wilton Sampaio kept the red cards coming late in the game, first by sending Bafana Bafana playmaker Themba Zwane to the showers after Video Review.

In second-half stoppage time, Mexico went down to 10 men when defender César Montes was sent off. 

However, El Tri's win was never in doubt, as the tournament co-hosts came out determined to make a big opening statement. 

Can fellow World Cup co-hosts Canada and the United States make similar first impressions?

Both play their tournament openers on Friday, with Les Rouges welcoming Bosnia and Herzegovina to Toronto (3 pm ET; TSN, FOX) and the USMNT taking on Paraguay in Los Angeles (9 pm ET; FOX, Telemundo, Peacock).