History has come full circle. If 16 years ago the World Cup in South Africa opened with a match involving the Mexicans and the hosts, then in 2026 the legendary Azteca Arena in Mexico City once again became the starting point of the Mundial. The Mexican national team, taking advantage of the home turf factor, secured a convincing victory over South Africa with a score of 2:0.

Opening Ceremony: From Shakira to Bocelli

Before the start of the decisive match, spectators witnessed a grand show. The main star of the ceremony was Colombian singer Shakira, whose performance of the hit "Dai Dai" ignited the stadium. She was joined by global stars such as Burna Boy and J Balvin, creating the atmosphere of a true celebration.

The second, official part of the ceremony was the solemn procession of the flags of all countries participating in the 2026 World Cup, 20 minutes before the start of the game. The tournament anthem was performed by the legendary Andrea Bocelli and EJAE.

First Half: Hosts' Dominance

The first half of the match passed under the complete dictate of the Mexican national team. The home team took the lead as early as the 9th minute. It all started with a blunder by South African goalkeeper Williams, who made an inaccurate pass to Sitole. The South African struggled to control the ball and immediately came under pressure from Lira. The Mexican played cleanly on the interception, passing the ball to Quiñones. He quickly worked the ball and calmly shot from the center of the penalty area — 1:0.

The South Africans tried to recover from the blow towards the end of the half, but did not create a serious threat to the opponent's goal. The Mexicans had several chances to double their lead, but saves by Williams and the post, which took a shot from Quiñones in the 42nd minute, saved them.

Second Half: Three Red Cards and Victory

The second half began with a dramatic episode. In the 50th minute, the South African team was reduced to ten men: Sitole received a straight red card. After this, the Africans' chances of saving the game practically came to zero.

The Mexicans took advantage of the numerical superiority. In the 67th minute, they doubled the score after a textbook attack: Alvarado from the right flank made a precise cross to the far corner, where Raúl Jiménez was first to the ball. The forward confidently headed the ball into the net — 2:0.

Tension on the field grew. In the 84th minute, the referee, after reviewing the video replay, sent off another South African player — Zwane for a handball. And in stoppage time, Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio equalized the squads, showing a straight red card to Mexican Montes. The match ended with a victory for Mexico with a score of 2:0.

History of the Rivalry and Results

Before this match, the rivals had a bright history of head-to-head meetings. In friendly matches in 1993 and 2000, Mexico was stronger (4:0 and 4:2). South Africa's only victory was won at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup (2:1). The most memorable was the 2010 World Cup match, which ended in a 1:1 draw.

The Mexican national team confirmed its status as the leader in the number of participation in opening matches of world championships, becoming the first team to play in the very first match in World Cup history in 1930.

In Group A, in addition to Mexico and South Africa, the national teams of South Korea and the Czech Republic are playing. Their head-to-head match of the opening round will take place on the night of June 12.