Mexico vs South Africa: World Cup 2026 opening game – teams, start, lineups

Who : Mexico vs South Africa What : FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match Where : Estadio Azteca, Mexico City When : Thursday, 1pm local time (19:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

At the 2010 FIFA World Cup – the first on African soil – hosts South Africa faced Mexico in the tournament’s opening match, playing out a 1-1 draw.

On Thursday, the teams meet again at the same stage. This time, cohosts Mexico welcome South Africa, as the much-awaited 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in North America.

With 80,000 fans expected to pack the prestigious Estadio Azteca, the opener promises to be an incredible spectacle.

Thursday’s match in Mexico City will mark the start of a 39-day tournament, featuring 104 games – 40 more than in the last edition in Qatar 2022.

With an expanded participation pool of 48 teams, the 2026 World Cup is the biggest in the sport’s history, and the first to be held in three countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Exactly 90 minutes before kickoff, an opening ceremony will take place, headlined by four-time Grammy-winning superstar Shakira, while Colombian singer J Balvin and South African singer-songwriter Tyla will also feature among the cast of performers.

The football-crazy nation of Mexico is no stranger to a World Cup. El Tri are gearing up for a whopping 17th appearance at the finals.