The 2026 FIFA World Cup started with bang as three send offs rocked Mexico 2-0 victory against South Africa in Mexico City, a rematch of the 2010 tournament opener.
The other two members of Group A will then cap off the opening day as South Korea faces Czechia (12pm AEST) in Guadalajara. Follow the World Cup live below!
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FULL 2026 WORLD CUP SCHEDULE WITH AUSTRALIAN TIMES AND DATES
WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE: Mexico vs South Africa scores, updates and more
WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE: South Korea vs Czechia scores, updates and more
Follow live updates from World Cup Matchday 1 below!
MEXICO v SOUTH AFRICA RECAP
Co-hosts Mexico enjoyed a dream start to the FIFA World Cup with a wild 2-0 tournament opening victory against South Africa where three red cards were shown.
Julián Quiñones opened the scoring in the ninth minute to spark pandemonium for the almost 83,000 fans at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Raúl Jiménez’s second half header then put the result beyond doubt, but there were more send offs than goal in a crazy second half.
Remarkably, only four players were sent off in the previous World Cup in Qatar, while the 2026 edition started in a sea of red.
South Africa was on the back foot early, but the tournament opener quickly turned into a nightmare for Bafana Bafana as they were reduced to nine men.
Mexico score first goal of World Cup | 00:31
Yaya Sithole was sent off first in the 50th minute for denying Brian Gutiérrez a goal scoring opportunity after Jiménez played him through.
Themba Zwane was then given his marching order 34 minutes later after VAR intervened to ensure a second red card was shown for the game.
Mexico was later reduced to ten men during stoppage time as their captain Cesar Montes was also deemed to have denied a scoring opportunity.
All three players will miss their next match as a result with former Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng describing Montes’ red card as “a joke” on SBS.
Boateng said Montes was not the last defender and VAR should have intervened to overturn referee Wilton Sampaio’s decision.
He was not the only one displeased with the officiating.
“I was shocked when he gave the [third] red,” Manchester United great Gary Neville said on ITV.
“It was a game that didn’t feel like it would have three reds.
“It’s a classic 1980s, 1990s – I’m going to take one for the team. Steve Bruce was great at it. I’m going to take a foul outside the box.
“It’s with force, but is he denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity? It’s right on the edge, but it’s difficult to score from there.”
Neville added: “The second one, he’s just tried to leverage himself. It’s not a slap.
“If you give a yellow, then you’d say there that’s fine.”
Despite the controversy, it was a party atmosphere at the Azteca with sombreros spinning in the stands and tears of joy flowing both times their team found the back of the net.
Quiñones’ early strike alleviated any nerves inside the iconic stadium, which is hosting the World Cup for the third time, and gave Mexico their own memorable moment like South Africa enjoyed 16 years ago.
The pair met in the tournament opener in Johannesburg in 2010, where Siphiwe Tshabalala’s unforgettable strike sparked jubilation across the Rainbow Nation in what ended as a 1-1 draw.
The contest was more lopsided this time around, however, and South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams will be hoping to forget the opening goal quickly.
Quiñones’ strike went through Williams’ legs and marked the earliest first goal of the tournament since Philipp Lahm scored for Germany against Costa Rica after six minutes in 2006.
Meanwhile, the explosion of joy in the stands quickly led to a flurry of comments on social media that FIFA have made a blunder and that the Azteca should be hosting the final, not New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
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SOUTH KOREA vs CZECHIA PREVIEW (via AFP)
South Korea captain Son Heung-min said his teammates were so excited about their World Cup opener against the Czech Republic he could “feel it in their eyes”.
Son will lead out his side on Thursday in the tournament’s second match after co-hosts Mexico kick-off the showpiece against South Africa.
“The guys are so fired-up for this match, and I actually have to calm them down,” Son said at the pre-match press conference in Guadalajara.
“I hope our hard work will bear fruit, and I think we absolutely deserve it. The vibe is tremendous, and I can feel it from the eyes of my teammates.
“Every World Cup match is so important that, as a player, you would stake your life on it. Tomorrow, we will give everything we’ve got and more.”
Former Tottenham star Son, 33, comes into his fourth and possibly his last World Cup after a poor season for his new club, Los Angeles FC, scoring just twice.
He said his excitement for football’s global showpiece never dimmed.
“My mindset is similar, whether it’s my first or last World Cup. I feel like a child again,” he said.
“I have never once said this is my last World Cup. The most important thing is to do my job. People can say whatever they want, and I will choose my path wisely.”
South Korea will face Mexico on June 19 before South Africa on June 25 in their final Group A match.