Mexico Begin World Cup Campaign With Convincing Win Over South Africa

Mexico made a winning start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating South Africa 2-0 in the opening match of the tournament at the famous Estadio Azteca.

Backed by a passionate home crowd, the co-hosts took control of the game early and never looked in danger of surrendering their advantage.

The victory gives Mexico an important three points as they begin their campaign in front of their supporters.

Julian Quinones etched his name into World Cup history by scoring the first goal of the competition. The forward found the breakthrough within the opening minutes, sending the packed stadium into celebration and setting the tone for an entertaining evening.

South Africa struggled to cope with the pressure and intensity created by the hosts and their fans. The African side found it difficult to create clear scoring opportunities and spent much of the game defending against Mexico's attacking threats.

Their task became even more challenging in the second half when they were reduced to 10 men following a dismissal.

Mexico took full advantage of the numerical superiority and doubled their lead through experienced striker Raul Jimenez, who finished off a well-worked attacking move.

Matters worsened for South Africa later in the match when another player was sent off, leaving them with just nine men for the closing stages.

Although Mexico also finished the contest with 10 players after a late red card, the result was already beyond doubt.

The victory marks a dream beginning for Mexico's World Cup journey, while South Africa will need a strong response in their remaining group matches to keep their qualification hopes alive.