⚽ FIFA World Cup 2026 – Today’s Schedule
June 13, 2026
6:00 PM ET — Brazil vs Morocco
9:00 PM ET — Haiti vs Scotland
12:00 AM ET — Australia vs Türkiye
The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially gets underway on Thursday, June 11, as co-hosts Mexico face South Africa in the opening match of the tournament at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The Group A encounter marks the beginning of the largest FIFA World Cup in history, featuring 48 national teams and 104 matches across North America.
Football fans around the world will be closely watching as Mexico and South Africa renew their rivalry in a fixture that brings back memories of the 2010 World Cup opener. On that occasion, the teams shared a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg. Sixteen years later, they meet again on football’s biggest stage with valuable points at stake.
Mexico vs South Africa Match Details
| Match | Mexico vs South Africa |
|---|---|
| Competition | FIFA World Cup 2026 |
| Group | Group A |
| Date | Thursday, June 11, 2026 |
| Venue | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City |
| Capacity | 87,500 |
| Kickoff Time | 3:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM Local Time |
| Live Stream | FOX One, fuboTV USA |
| TV Channels | FOX, Televisa, TUDN, SABC |
Updated Live Score
Mexico 0-0 South Africa (Live updates available during the match)
The opening fixture is expected to attract millions of viewers globally as Mexico look to begin their home World Cup campaign with a victory. South Africa, meanwhile, will be aiming to produce an upset and make a strong statement in Group A.
Mexico vs South Africa Confirmed Lineups and Team News (FIFA World Cup 2026)
Match Information
| Match | Mexico vs South Africa |
|---|---|
| Competition | FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group A |
| Venue | Estadio Banorte, Mexico City |
| Status | Confirmed Lineups |
Mexico Confirmed Starting XI (4-3-3)
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | 1. Raúl Rangel |
| RB | 15. Israel Reyes |
| CB | 3. César Montes |
| CB | 5. Johan Vásquez |
| LB | 23. Jesús Gallardo |
| CM | 26. Marcel Ruiz Gutiérrez |
| CM | 6. Erik Lira |
| CM | 8. Álvaro Fidalgo |
| RW | 25. Roberto Alvarado |
| ST | 9. Raúl Jiménez |
| LW | 16. Julián Quiñones |
Mexico Team News
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Formation | 4-3-3 |
| Injured | Luis Malagón (Achilles) |
| Suspended | None |
South Africa Confirmed Starting XI (5-3-2)
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | 1. Ronwen Williams |
| RWB | 20. Khuliso Mudau |
| CB | 19. Nkosinathi Sibisi |
| CB | 21. Aiden Okon |
| CB | 14. Mbekezeli Mbokazi |
| LWB | 6. Aubrey Modiba |
| CM | 13. Sphephelo Sithole |
| CM | 4. Teboho Mokoena |
| CM | 23. Jayden Adams |
| ST | 9. Lyle Foster |
| ST | 15. Iqraam Rayners |
South Africa Team News
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Formation | 5-3-2 |
| Injured | None |
| Suspended | None |
Confirmed Lineups at a Glance
| Mexico (4-3-3) | South Africa (5-3-2) |
|---|---|
| Rangel | R. Williams |
| Reyes | Mudau |
| Montes | Sibisi |
| J. Vásquez | Okon |
| Gallardo | Mbokazi |
| Gutiérrez | Modiba |
| Lira | Sithole |
| Fidalgo | Mokoena |
| Alvarado | J. Adams |
| Jiménez | Foster |
| Quiñones | Rayners |
Mexico Injuries: Luis Malagón (Achilles)
South Africa Injuries: None
Suspensions: None for either team.
Mexico vs South Africa Head-to-Head Record
The two nations have met four times previously, with Mexico holding the advantage.
| Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| June 1993 | International Friendly | Mexico 4-0 South Africa |
| May 2000 | US Nike Cup | Mexico 4-2 South Africa |
| July 2005 | CONCACAF Gold Cup | South Africa 2-1 Mexico |
| June 2010 | FIFA World Cup | South Africa 1-1 Mexico |
Mexico have won two of the four meetings, South Africa have one victory, and one match ended in a draw.
How to Watch Mexico vs South Africa Live
Fans across multiple countries can watch the opening World Cup match through official broadcasters.
TV Schedule
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
| United States | FOX One, fuboTV USA |
| United Kingdom | ITV 1 |
| South Africa | SuperSport 1 |
| Mexico | Canal 5 Televisa, Azteca 7, TUDN |
| Canada | TSN 1 |
Match Preview and Prediction
Mexico will enjoy home support and enter the tournament as favorites based on current form and FIFA rankings. Their defensive organization has been impressive throughout 2026, while the attacking trio of Julián Quiñones, Roberto Alvarado, and Raúl Jiménez provides plenty of goal-scoring threat.
South Africa have shown resilience throughout qualification and possess the pace and creativity to trouble Mexico on the counterattack. However, handling the atmosphere inside Estadio Azteca will be one of their biggest challenges.
With Mexico unbeaten this year and eager to make a strong start to their home World Cup, they appear well-positioned to secure all three points. Nevertheless, South Africa’s determination and recent progress suggest they cannot be underestimated.
Prediction: Mexico 2-1 South Africa