Mexico Beats South Africa 2-0 in FIFA World Cup 2026 Opener

Mexico kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a dominant 2-0 victory over South Africa at the Estadio Azteca. Julián Quiñones scored the tournament's first goal, followed by a header from Raúl Jiménez, ending Mexico's long opening-match winless streak. The game was also historic for featuring three red cards.

Mexico vs South Africa: Mexico kicked off its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in style, defeating South Africa 2-0 in the tournament's opening match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The game had everything football fans could ask for, i.e. early goals, red cards, historic records and a packed stadium atmosphere. More importantly for the hosts, it ended a frustrating streak of winless World Cup opening matches.

For years, Mexico struggled to start World Cups with a victory. That changed on Thursday night as El Tri delivered a composed performance in front of home supporters. The breakthrough came early when Julián Quiñones found the net in the ninth minute, becoming the first goalscorer of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mexico continued to dominate possession and create chances before veteran striker Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead with a powerful header.

While Mexico celebrated the victory, the match will also be remembered for its disciplinary drama. Red Cards Sphephelo Sithole (South Africa) — sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity Themba Zwane (South Africa) — shown a red card after a VAR review César Montes (Mexico) — dismissed in stoppage time The three dismissals made the game the first World Cup opening match in history to feature three red cards.