Co-host Mexico wins the opening match at Azteca Stadium

A bit of chaos in the hours before kickoff, a colorful opening ceremony with plenty of Mexican flair and a performance by Shakira featuring the official World Cup song “Dai Dai”—and the 23rd FIFA World Cup was underway.

The 80,000-plus spectators at the legendary Azteca Stadium, where a World Cup was kicking off for the third time after 1970 and 1986, needed patience in the hours leading up to kickoff. Due to protests and blockades by teachers and relatives of the approximately 130,000 missing people in the land of drug cartels, the area around the stadium within a 1.6-kilometer radius was completely cordoned off eight hours before kickoff at 1:00 p.m. local time. Long lines had already formed in front of the entrance early in the morning, and scuffles broke out at the entrance to the fan zone.

Two goals, three red cards

Inside the stadium, apart from a minor delay of a few minutes, everything ran smoothly and exactly to the liking of the host Mexicans, who are aiming to reach the quarterfinals for the third time in their third home World Cup. The hosts won 2-0, a well-deserved victory that didn’t require them to play above their usual level.

South Africa’s goalkeeper Ronwen Williams thwarted the first chance after four minutes with a strong save against a shot by Raul Jimenez. The second goal gave Mexico the lead. The scorer of the first goal at the 2026 World Cup was Julian Quiñones. The striker, who plays in Saudi Arabia, beat Williams with a low shot through his legs after a careless turnover by the South Africans near the penalty area.

From then on, Mexico’s opening victory was never seriously in doubt; the South Africans were already outclassed even before they were reduced to 10 men in the 50th minute due to a professional foul on Yaya Sithole. The situation was too hopeless from the visitors’ perspective when Raúl Jiménez made it 2-0 in the 67th minute. It was all too hopeless when Themba Zwane was also sent off in the 84th minute for violent conduct.

The fact that the experienced Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio—who, however, was not beyond reproach on this evening—sent off another Mexican, César Montes, in stoppage time did not dampen Mexico’s soccer celebration, at least not on this evening.

Ochoa’s early moment of joy

Mexico’s soccer hero Guillermo Ochoa, who like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is playing in his sixth World Cup, treated himself to his personal moment of glory even before the opening ceremony. The 40-year-old goalkeeper did not see any action. After days of speculation, coach Javier Aguirre opted for Raul Rangel, who is 15 years younger, between the posts.

With the victory in the rematch of the 2010 World Cup opening game in Johannesburg (1-1), Mexico has already taken a first (big) step toward the knockout stage. Their remaining opponents in the group stage are South Korea (on the night of Friday, June 19) and the Czech Republic (on the night of Thursday, June 25).

Match Report:

Mexico – South Africa 2–0 (1–0)

Mexico City. – 80,824 spectators. – Referee: Sampaio (BRA). – Goals: 9. Quiñones 1–0. 67. Jimenez 2–0.

Notes: 50. Red card for Sithole (South Africa/dangerous tackle). 84. Red card for Zwane (South Africa/assault). 92. Red card for Montes (Mexico/dangerous tackle).