There are few scenarios so steeped in symbolism. Mexico and South Africa open the 2026 World Cup this Thursday, June 11, at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, sixteen years after they also faced off in the opening match of South Africa 2010. Group A —rounded out by South Korea and the Czech Republic—kicks off with El Tri needing to get off on the right foot in front of its home crowd, in what will be the first real step toward the knockout stage of the new 48-team format.
Since this is the tournament’s opening match, neither team arrives with a track record in the group stage: both are making their debut, with no previous results to analyze. What does matter is the context. Mexico, led by Javier Aguirre, ended 2025 on a six-game winless streak and needs a victory to restore confidence among its demanding fans. South Africa returns to the World Cup after a 16-year absence and arrives without the pressure of being the favorite, with hopes still intact of finally advancing past the first round.
In terms of absences, El Tri took the biggest hit: starting goalkeeper Luis Malagón was ruled out of the World Cup due to a torn ligament, forcing Aguirre to turn to Guillermo Ochoa, who at 40 is heading to his sixth World Cup. South Africa, on the other hand, is fielding virtually its full squad: coach Hugo Broos traveled with his trusted core group, with no major last-minute absences.
Date, time of Mexico vs. South Africa and where to watch on TV and streaming
The opening kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, Central Mexico Time, the same time that will apply for fans in Guadalajara. The opening match will be broadcast free-to-air on Las Estrellas and Canal 5 on TelevisaUnivisión, as well as on Azteca 7 and Azteca Uno on TV Azteca. Anyone who wants to watch every single match of the tournament will need to turn to ViX Premium, the only platform offering all 104 matches through its World Pass.
The stadium: the Azteca, a World Cup legend
The match will be played at the Azteca Stadium —renamed Estadio Banorte, though FIFA will refer to it as Estadio Ciudad de México during the tournament—in the Santa Úrsula neighborhood of the capital. Following extensive renovations, the colossal stadium now has a capacity of about 87,000 fans. With this match, the Azteca becomes the only stadium on the planet to have hosted three World Cup opening ceremonies: 1970, 1986, and 2026—the same pitch that saw Pelé and Maradona crowned champions.
Possible lineups
Mexico (4-3-3): Guillermo Ochoa; Jorge Sánchez, César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo; Edson Álvarez, Luis Romo, Álvaro Fidalgo; Roberto Alvarado, Raúl Jiménez, César Huerta.
South Africa (4-2-3-1): Ronwen Williams; Khuliso Mudau, Ime Okon, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Aubrey Modiba; Teboho Mokoena, Jayden Adams; Oswin Appollis, Relebohile Mofokeng, Tshepang Moremi; Lyle Foster.
Interesting things to do in Guadalajara:
18 July 2026 11:30 + more dates
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