Mexico and South Africa set to open historic 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026
Mexico open the 2026 FIFA World Cup against South Africa in Mexico City. The match begins the tournament's expanded 48-team format across three host nations.
- Jun 11, 2026,
- Updated Jun 11, 2026, 7:32 PM IST
- The tournament spans 104 matches across Mexico, the United States and Canada
- Javier Aguirre called a home World Cup the greatest thrill of football
- Rafael Marquez returns in a coaching role after Mexico's 2010 opener
The FIFA World Cup 2026 begins on June 11 (local time) with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium, marking the start of the largest edition of the tournament to date.
The opening Group A fixture will get underway at 12:30 AM IST on June 12 and launch a month-long competition featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Mexico head into the contest as favourites and will be aiming to make a strong start in front of a home crowd. The match also carries a sense of history, mirroring the opening fixture of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, which ended in a 1-1 draw after Siphiwe Tshabalala's famous opener was cancelled out by Rafael Márquez.
Márquez will again have a role in Mexico's World Cup campaign, this time as assistant coach under Javier Aguirre. Speaking ahead of the match, Aguirre described the opportunity to play a World Cup on home soil as a unique experience.
"I haven't experienced a greater thrill in 50 years of football than playing in a World Cup at home," Aguirre said, adding that his players have grown together "like a family".
South Africa qualified for the tournament after finishing top of their African qualifying group and are looking to make an early statement against one of the hosts. Head coach Hugo Broos acknowledged the challenge but insisted his side would be ready.
"Mexico are the strongest team in the group, so tomorrow will be a very tough game for us," Broos said. "We'll fight for every metre and every ball for the full 90 minutes."
Midfielder Teboho Mokoena also expressed confidence ahead of the encounter, saying the squad was excited by the occasion and aware of what the match means to supporters back home.
South Africa have received a timely boost with defender Aubrey Modiba expected to return after recovering from a hamstring injury.
The opening match will set the tone for a tournament that is breaking new ground with its expanded format, as football's biggest event begins a new chapter across three host nations.
