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Mexico kicked off the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium with a chaotic 2-0 victory over South Africa in a Group A clash defined by extreme disciplinary action and historic firsts.
El Tri ignited the 80,824 home fans in the Mexico City Stadium and thousands more in the Zócalo with President Claudia Sheinbaum when Julián Quiñones scored in the eighth minute. South Africa stayed competitive until the 49th minute, when Yaya Sithole received a straight red card for taking down Brian Gutiérrez on a dangerous counterattack.
Taking advantage of the extra space on the field, Mexico extended its lead in the 67th minute. Roberto Alvarado delivered a laser-accurate, long-distance pass from the side of the field straight into the central goal area, allowing veteran forward Raúl Jiménez to score with a dramatic header for his first-ever World Cup goal.
The match then dissolved into chaos. In the 83rd minute, South Africa was reduced to nine men after a Video Assistant Referee review caught substitute Themba Zwane striking Alvarado in the face, resulting in a direct red card for violent conduct.
In stoppage time, the referee issued a straight red card to Mexican skipper César Montes for a tactical foul, suspending him for the team’s next Group A match against South Korea on Thursday, June 18, at Guadalajara Stadium (Estadio Akron) in Zapopan. The scheduling gives El Tri a full week to recover from the chaotic opener and reset before a supportive Jalisco crowd.
Mexico’s 2–0 win over South Africa at Estadio Azteca was not only chaotic but historic—it was the first World Cup opener ever to feature three red cards, with South Africa reduced to nine men and Mexico finishing with ten. The dismissals, given for denial of goalscoring opportunities and violent conduct, smashed the previous disciplinary “ceiling” for an opening match, yet postgame reports noted that none of the fouls resulted in serious or tournament-ending injuries, keeping the story focused on discipline and refereeing rather than player welfare.
In another historic event, Raúl Jiménez, who was so badly injured in 2020 with a fractured skull and brain bleed that most experts thought it was the end of his career and maybe his life, started in the opening match and scored the second goal in the home World Cup opener. Jiménez’s presence and goal against South Africa are one of the tournament’s standout comeback stories.
After facing South Korea, Mexico returns to the capital for its final group match against Czechia, which came through UEFA’s Playoff D to claim the last spot in the section. That match is scheduled for Wednesday, June 24, at what is sure to be a sold-out Estadio Azteca, where the hosts could be playing either for seeding or survival, depending on how the match against South Korea goes.
