Mexico Opens the 2026 World Cup With a 2–0 Win Over South Africa — and Three Red Cards

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is officially underway, and Mexico made sure its hosting debut would not be forgotten quickly. El Tri defeated South Africa 2–0 on Thursday in the tournament's opening match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, giving the co-host nation a perfect start in Group A — though the final score barely captures just how dramatic the night turned out to be.

In front of a sell-out home crowd, Mexico picked up its first three points of the tournament and matched the energy of the environment. The atmosphere inside the storied stadium — one of the most iconic venues in soccer history — had been building for years, and it delivered.

The opening goal came early. Julián Quiñones opened the scoring in the ninth minute after South Africa cheaply conceded possession in its own defensive third, intercepting and firing home the first goal of the 2026 World Cup. It was the kind of mistake that a team under that level of pressure, playing against a home side in front of 80,000 fans at altitude, simply cannot afford.

Mexico controlled the tempo through much of the first half, though Quiñones also hit the post in the 42nd minute before setting up Brian Gutiérrez well shortly after — none of which resulted in a second goal before the break.

The second half got chaotic fast. South African midfielder Sphephelo Sithole received a red card in the 49th minute for denying a goal-scoring opportunity as Brian Gutiérrez broke free on goal after a lobbed pass. Down to ten men, South Africa struggled to contain the momentum.

Then came the moment many had been waiting for. Raúl Jiménez powered home a header from a cross delivered by Roberto Alvarado, scoring the first World Cup goal of his career and giving Mexico a commanding lead. For the veteran striker, who has carried El Tri's attack through years of near-misses and heartbreak on the international stage, it was an emotional milestone that sent the Azteca into a frenzy, with wild celebrations breaking out across the stands.

But the drama wasn't done. Three red cards were issued in the second half — two for South Africa and one for Mexico — making this the first time in World Cup history that an opening match produced three sendings-off. South Africa's Themba Zwane was dismissed for unsporting behavior in the 84th minute, followed just moments later by Mexico's central defender César Montes in stoppage time for serious foul play. All three players will miss their teams' next group stage match, a blow that leaves Mexico without its starting center back heading into its next fixture.

The match also carried an unusual historical echo, landing exactly 16 years after these same two nations met in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup, which ended in a 1–1 draw. This time, with the roles of host and challenger reversed, Mexico finished with the clear advantage.

Mexico will next face South Korea on Thursday, June 18, in Guadalajara. South Africa, despite the loss, still has two group games left to mount a comeback — starting against the Czech Republic on June 18. The tournament runs through July 19, with the final scheduled at MetLife Stadium.

Group A is wide open. But on this opening night, Mexico played host in every sense of the word.