Mexico enters the field this Thursday (11) as one of the big favorites for the opening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Facing South Africa, at the Azteca Stadium, in Mexico City, the host team seeks to start the tournament with victory, which also has the United States and Canada as venues.
The clash marks the first match of Group A and takes on a special flavor due to the historic reunion. Exactly 16 years after the opening game of the 2010 World Cup, when South Africa were the hosts and the teams drew 1-1, now the roles are reversed. The Azteca, iconic venue for past World Cups, is expected to receive more than 80,000 fans pushing the home team.
Javier Aguirre has an undefeated team in 2026. With eight games without defeat, including six wins, Mexico arrives motivated and with a clear ambition: to overcome the group stage, something they failed to achieve in the last edition. The Mexican team has a history of better campaigns when it hosted the tournament, reaching the quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986.
On the other hand, South Africa arrives in a more delicate situation. Bafana Bafana have not won any of the five games played this year and are looking to surprise to start their fourth World Cup participation well. Hugo Broos, South African coach, is betting on a mix of experience and young talent to resist the pressure of the altitude and the local fans.
Probable lineups
Mexico (4-1-2-3): R. Rangel; I. Reyes, C. Montes, J. Vásquez, J. Gallardo; E. Lira; B. Gutiérrez, Á. Nobleman; R. Alvarado, R. Jiménez, J. Quiñones.
South Africa (4-2-3-1): R. Williams; K. Mudau, I. Okon, M. Mbokazi, A. Modiba; J. Adams, T. Mokoena; O. Appollis, R. Mofokeng, T. Moremi; L. Foster.
The referee will be Brazilian Wilton Pereira Sampaio, with an average number of cards that indicates a disputed game.
Azteca and the home factor
Playing at Azteca represents a significant advantage for Mexico. The altitude of Mexico City requires physical adaptation, something the South Africans have had less time to work on. Furthermore, the support of the fans must create an intimidating environment for the visitors.
Where to watch Mexico vs South Africa live
In Brazil, the broadcast takes place on TV Globo, SBT (open TV), SporTV, NSports, ge TV (Globoplay) and CazéTV (YouTube). The ball rolls at 4pm (Brasília time).
The result of this match could set the tone for Group A, which also includes South Korea and the Czech Republic. A Mexican victory is expected by most analysts, but the history of the World Cup shows that debuts hold surprises.
