The 2026 FIFA World Cup got underway in dramatic fashion as co-hosts Mexico secured a 2-0 victory over South Africa in a heated opening match at Mexico City Stadium.
The first match of football’s biggest tournament produced more red cards than goals, with three players sent off in an ill-tempered contest that saw Mexico make a winning start in front of their home supporters.
The encounter marked the beginning of the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup and was preceded by a colourful opening ceremony featuring performances from Shakira and Burna Boy.
Mexico wasted little time asserting themselves and took the lead in the ninth minute following a costly defensive error from South Africa. Midfielder Yaya Sithole lost possession near the edge of his own penalty area after coming under pressure from Mexican midfielder Érik Lira.
The mistake proved expensive as striker Julián Quiñones quickly seized on the loose ball and calmly fired a low shot through the legs of South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams to hand the hosts an early advantage.
South Africa struggled to recover from the setback and their afternoon became even more difficult shortly after the restart. In the 49th minute, Sithole’s disappointing outing came to an abrupt end when he received a straight red card for bringing down Brian Gutiérrez, who was through on goal with a clear scoring opportunity.
With a numerical advantage, Mexico began to dominate possession and create more chances. Their pressure paid off in the 67th minute when veteran striker Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead. The experienced forward escaped his markers inside the penalty area before powering a header past Williams from a well-delivered cross by Roberto Alvarado.
The goal effectively put Mexico in control, but the match continued to boil over as tempers flared.
South Africa was reduced to nine men six minutes from time after substitute Themba Zwane was shown a straight red card following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Officials judged that Zwane had committed violent conduct after striking Alvarado in the face with his arm during an off-the-ball incident.
Despite holding a comfortable lead, Mexico were not immune from disciplinary trouble. Deep into stoppage time, captain César Montes was sent off after pulling down Khuliso Mudau during a South African counterattack. The dismissal meant the match finished as a 10-versus-9 contest.
The three red cards made the fixture one of the most disciplinary-heavy opening matches in World Cup history and ensured the tournament began with no shortage of drama.
Mexico’s victory puts them in a strong position in Group A as they seek to make a deep run on home soil. Fellow co-hosts Canada and the United States are set to begin their campaigns on Friday and Saturday, respectively, with both matches also featuring opening ceremonies.
Meanwhile, defending champions Argentina, who lifted the trophy at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, will begin their title defence against Algeria on Wednesday. The tournament is expected to attract billions of viewers worldwide as nations battle for football’s most prestigious prize.
