Mexico and South Africa Set to Open the 2026 World Cup at the Azteca

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday, 11 June, when Mexico welcome South Africa to Mexico City Stadium for the opening match of the biggest edition of the tournament ever staged. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. local time, with more than 80,000 fans expected at the iconic venue that previously hosted World Cup openers in 1970 and 1986.

Thursday's fixture is a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener in Johannesburg, which ended 1–1 after Siphiwe Tshabalala's famous goal for Bafana Bafana. Javier Aguirre, who was in charge of El Tri that day and is now in his third stint as Mexico head coach, returns to the touchline for another opening-night test. South Africa arrive as underdogs once again, with Hugo Broos' side seeking a result against a Mexico team unbeaten in eight friendlies in 2026.

The match opens a 39-day tournament featuring 104 games — 40 more than Qatar 2022 — across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Mexico, South Korea, Czechia, and South Africa share Group A, with the top two from each of the 12 groups plus the eight best third-placed teams advancing to a newly introduced round of 32.