Gary Neville on Sithole’s day
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The first goal was a killer for South Africa. Yaya Sithole has had a terrible day. The World Cup can make dreams come true, but it can also shatter dreams.
Let the fiesta begin
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Mexicans come flooding out of Azteca in party mood, with horns beeping on cars nearby. A last-16 showdown here against England is a distinct possibility but the home fans will now fancy their chances at this wonderful old stadium.
Will Shakira be back for this one?
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The stadium announcer seems to be overdoing the enthusiasm a touch. “And of course, we know what’s coming up next week, don’t we everyone?” he teases. “Uzbekistan versus Colombia!” Fair to say that match, after this rousing Mexico victory in an unforgettable atmosphere, might struggle to be a worthy encore.
A sign of things to come?
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— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 11, 20263 - In the first game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, there were three red cards awarded.
At the 2022 World Cup, only four red cards were shown in 64 games overall.
Brandished. pic.twitter.com/YWYjy2Mu27
FT: Mexico 2 South Africa 0
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A grand occasion in one of the World Cup’s most storied venues, and the ideal start for Mexico. It was an eventful, if not particularly high quality game, and those three red cards are perhaps an early statement of the intent from the officials at this tournament. Two of the three felt a little harsh, but no doubt they can be justified in law. But is the game better for it?
The moment of the match was Raul Jimenez’s goal, his celebration will live long in the memory.
96 minutes: Mexico 2 South Africa 0
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We are approaching the end of the allotted seven minutes, but after the third red card of the half we will surely be in for a few more minutes.
94 minutes: Mexico 2 South Africa 0
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South Africa try to take the free-kick short but make a complete hash of it, and the chance to make Mexico nervous has surely gone.
RED CARD! Montes sent off for Mexico
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South Africa found themselves, somehow, with a dangerous counter-attack four against three, and Mexico defender Montes made a cynical foul near the corner of the box, but the referee shows a straight red!
90 minutes: Mexico 2 South Africa 0
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There will be seven minutes of added time, which accounts for the drinks break and a raft of substitutions.
87 minutes: Mexico 2 South Africa 0
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A distinctly unimpressive showing from South Africa, they need to make amends against South Korea and Czech Republic.
RED CARD! South Africa are down to nine men
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In real time, it looked an innocuous incident, but substitute Themba Zwame was found to have clawed the face of Mexico defender Alvarado. After a VAR review at the pitchside monitor, referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio relays his decision in broken English before making Zwame wait for the red card to be produced.
That feels a little too officious to me, it was not a violent action.
79 minutes: Mexico 2 South Africa 0
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Appollis cuts inside from the left at has a shot for South Africa, but not enough venom behind it to trouble Rangel. A couple of Mexico’s defenders taking their time to get back up.
79 minutes: Mexico 2 South Africa 0
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Another change from Mexico, Aguirre using the opportunity to involve as many of his squad as possible. Quinones, scorer of the first goal, departs and is replaced by Vega.
76 minutes: Mexico 2 South Africa 0
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Both managers making a double sub: Edson Alvarez, Mexico’s squad captain, is on alongside Gonzalez. Raul Jimenez is one of the players coming off, to a standing ovations. Modiba and Rayners off for South Africa, Appollis and Makgopa the players on.
73 minutes: Mexico 2 South Africa 0
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Jimenez threatening again, arcing his run into the penalty box, but Mbatha covered across well to block him off. South Africa’s Sibisi has now been booked for hand off on the lively Quinones.
70 minutes: Mexico 2 South Africa 0
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We had a water break after the Jimenez goal, and we are back under way. Mexico’s fiesta can begin in earnest.
GOOOAALL! Raul Jimenez with the moment of his career
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At his fourth World Cup, Jimenez has scored his first goal at the tournament aged 35. A trademark Jimenez goal, peeling away to the back post unmarked to meet a cross floated in from the right. He was welling up during his celebrations, when he was mobbed by his team-mates. The striker came back from a sickening skull injury sustained for Wolves during a Covid season game at Arsenal.
65 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Mexico are letting the game drift along with the extra man, which could be a risky business. Score a second goal and the celebrations can begin, in the stands and across the country. A couple of changes have been made: Chavez and Gilberto Mora are on. Mora, at 17, is the youngest player at the tournament.
62 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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South Africa now appealing for the referee to intervene after a high boot from Quiñones but there was not much in the incident.
Latest protest news
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About 1,000 protesters have clashed with riot police outside the Azteca Stadium while the game has been going on. Footage from outside one of the stadium gates showed plastic bins and plant pots being launched at riot police wielding shields and batons. One of the bins seemed to strike a member of police on horseback. Tom Morgan reports here.
56 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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South Africa making a change. Lyle Foster, their striker, has been sacrificed and replaced by Mbatha. Straight away, the substitute commits a goal near the left-corner of his penalty area.
54 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Modiba with a clean hit from distance, and Angel needed two goes at grabbing hold of it. Complacency will be the enemy from her for Mexico. They really should be putting this to bed. They were creating chances 11vs11.
51 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Jimenez fired the subsequent free-kick into the wall but Mexico should be on easy street from here. I would not fancy playing 40 minutes at high altitude with 10 men.
RED CARD! Sithole sent off for South Africa
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The holding midfielder has had a stinker of a game. Caught in possession for the first goal, and now he has tripped Gutierrez to deny a clear goalscoring opportunity. South Africa’s defensive line was breached too easily by a run from deep into space. Free-kick at the edge of the box. Gutierrez was clever to cut back across Sithole.
46 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Almost a nightmare start to the half for South Africa, and once again it was their short passing from the back that proved troublesome. Williams had Sithole to blame for the first goal, but this time it was just a daft pass from the goalkeeper inside his box. Fidalgo should have taken a shot, but the angle narrowed and his low cross was blocked.
HT: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Mexico really should be further ahead. Raul Jimenez tested the goalkeeper early on, before goalscorer Quiñones struck the post during the second half of the first half after the water break. South Africa’s much-vaunted possession play and passing football put them in good areas occasionally, but they have looked quite toothless. Williams has impressed for them in goal, though.
45 minutes+3: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Another chance for Mexico: Gutierrez’s movement causing problems again, but he poked the ball wide of the far post when he needed to curl the shot with his instep.
45 minutes+2: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Excellent defending from Mexico left-back Alvarado up against Modiba, winning a goal kick. A little unorthodox, going to ground twice, but it worked out.
45 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Four minutes of added time to play. Mexico’s only regret so far will be their failure to score a second goal.
41 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Jimenez may have been offside, but his right boot applies the faintest of touches on a cross towards the far corner, but the goalkeeper Williams made a smart save regardless. Plucked the ball away from the far corner.
Then Mexico hit the post! Good work from Gutierrez to roll the ball back for Quiñones to hit, and he tried to pass the ball into the corner but struck the woodwork. Unlucky with Williams beaten.
38 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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South Africa float a cross into the box from the left, but it was too high for Foster to direct towards goal. The pace of the game has dropped considerably since Mexico’s sharp start. That could be a theme throughout the tournament. Mexico have the lead though, so it suits them fine for the minutes to tick by.
35 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Better from South Africa, but another heavy pass puts an end to the move. This time Lyle Foster was the guilty party. Perhaps evidence of a lack of match sharpness, it has been a few weeks since some of these players played a competitive game.
Gallardo then drives on the overlap down Mexico’s left flank, but Williams got down well to claim the low cross.
33 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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South Africa thought there were in a promising position after the ball held up for Modiba, but the flag goes up for offside. You can see why South Africa had plenty of possession at the Africa Cup of Nations: there have been some smooth passages of play from the mistake, goal aside, but they have been loose in the last third.
30 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Gutierrez has popped up in some good attacking positions from midfield for Mexico, and after working a yard for a strike in the penalty area his blocked. Mexico continue to look the more dangerous.
28 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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We are back under way after that water break. The three minutes will be added on at the end of the game.
25 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Time for the first hydration break of the tournament.
Mexico were quick off the mark with the first goal.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) June 11, 2026Julian Quinones scores the opening goal of the 2026 World Cup for Mexico in just 9 minutes ⚡️
It's the fastest opener since 2006! pic.twitter.com/w1qovPc8mu
23 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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A nervous moment for Mexico as goalkeeper Rangel flaps at a long diagonal pass into the penalty area, before there are half-hearted appeals for a handball penalty. Gutierrez is then booked for a late sliding challenge on Mokoena. South Africa free-kick in a crossing position wide right, but Mexico clear.
22 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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South Africa have played through Mexico three times with some slick approach play, but yet again the attack breaks down with a poor final pass. Midfielder Adams might say that poor movement from Rayners and Fosters was to blame. The midfield and attack has been disconnected so far.
20 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Quiñones with a nice piece of control to set himself up for a shot from 25 yards, but the effort was always rising. Fidalgo involved in the move again, the Real Betis midfielder is catching the eye so far.
17 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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South Africa midfielder Mokoena has been shown the first yellow card of the game, bringing down Fidalgo who skipped by him. Positive start to the game for Mexico’s No 8, who now he has his opposite number on a booking early.
13 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Raul Jimenez threatens from a corner, but he could not quite get over his header. South Africa then doun space in midfield again through Adams but his through ball towards the forwards was overhit.
11 minutes: Mexico 1 South Africa 0
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Not a fan of goal music generally, but the Mariachi style tune that blared from the speakers after the ball hit the net was quite joyous. Mexico are back in South Africa’s half. The dream start for the co-hosts so far.
GOOOAALLL! Quiñones scores for Mexico
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South Africa caught trying to play from deep, and punished to the maximum. Goalkeeper Williams played a straight pass into midfielder Sithole, who took a heavy touch as he tried to let the ball run across his body. Lira sprinted forward to rob him of possession, and Quiñones’ low finish was unerring.
7 minutes: Mexico 0 South Africa 0
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Gallardo believes he should have a corner after a cross from the left flank is charged down, but the decision goes in South Africa’s favour. VAR are able to adjudicate on corners in this tournament. South Africa are trying to play out from the back at every opportunity, but are not pressing too high. Sitting off in a 5-3-2.
5 minutes: Mexico 0 South Africa 0
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Modiba with a heavy challenge on Gutierrez, right in front of the referee, and a concedes a free-kick but no further punishment. The free-kick is hammered straight into the wall from around 40 yards out.
First big chance of the game goes to Mexico! Reyes gets forward from right-back, pulling a cross behind the South Africa defence, and Jimenez was free to shoot first time with his left feet, but Williams saved. Jimenez did well to keep the bouncing ball down, catching the shot off his shin.
2 minutes: Mexico 0 South Africa 0
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South Africa, certainly against teams for their continent, tend to dominate possession in most games with a system built upon three centre-backs. Mexico trying to close them down high, but the South Africa goalkeeper Williams picks out a clever pass into midfield. Mexico’s press beaten a little easily.
KICK OFF!
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Mexico get the first game of the World Cup under way, to roars from the home crowd who are primed and ready for this.
The anthems have been sung
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The original form of Mexicans, at the Cry of War had ten verses to get through, but today the players sing a shortened version. They will need their oxygen over the next 90 minutes.
Crowds chanting “Mexico, Mexico, Mexico” and throwing thousands of plastic sombreros towards the pitch. Atmosphere has gone up another level. This is so good.
The teams are out
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Mercifully, Fifa have abandoned the idea of individual player walk-ons. The Azteca looks a picture, it’s enough to stir some excitement in even the most jaded football-watcher.
Andrea Bocelli on stage
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No Verdi or Puccini for the man who once serenaded the King Power after Leicester’s title win. The great Italian tenor has been reduced to a version of the official World Cup anthem DNA. Other collaborators on the song include David Guetta, Megan Thee Stallion and EJAE. Nice work if you can get it.
Some boos and whistle greet the US flag
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The three host nations were the last to be walked into the centre circle, and while Canada’s flag was welcome cordially, there was some dissent from the stands when it was the turn of the United States.
Opening ceremony stage two
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We are 15 minutes from kick-off, and the more formal, Olympic-like preliminaries have started. Forty eight volunteers are walking to the centre circle, one by one, each carrying a flag represented at the tournament.
They just keep hammering the point home...
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There is a 15ft golden Fifa sign hanging 50ft or so above the nearest touchline, which is impossible to miss. Having already changed the name of Azteca to just the Mexico City Stadium, they are muscling in their branding in every available corner. You wouldn’t have seen this in ‘70 or ‘86.
Some more football royalty arriving
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Former Real Madrid team-mates Luis Figo and Roberto Carlos are in the building.
The team news...
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Raul Jimenez, who has just re-joined Wolves after leaving Fulham on a free, leads the line with Santiago Gimenez on the bench. Also among the subs are 17-year-old defender Gilberto Mora and Obed Vargas, who was signed by Atletico Madrid from the MLS earlier this year. Burnley’s Lyle Foster is up front for South Africa.
Mexico starting XI: Rangel, Reyes, Montes, Vasquez, Gallardo, Lira, Alvarado, Gutierrez, Fidalgo, Quinones, Jimenez
Subs: Acevedo, Ochoa, Sanchez, Alvarez, Romo, Vega, Gimenez, Gonzalez, Pineda, Vargas, Mora, Mateo Chavez, Huerta, Martinez, Luis Chavez
South Africa starting XI: Williams, Mudau, Okon, Sibisi, Mbokazi, Modiba, Mokoena, Sithole, Adams, Foster, Rayners
Subs: Chaine, Goss, Matuludi, Ndamane, Mbatha, Appollis, Moremi, Mofokeng, Zwane, Maseko, Makgopa, Kabini, Makhanya, Sebelebele, Cross
And with that, the ceremony is over
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Unlike before some Champions League finals I can remember, things wrap up in prompt fashion exactly one hour before kick off. Around 15 minutes or so until the teams are out to warm up, when attention will turn to the football.
The headliners are on
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Shakira and Burna Boy take centre stage, giving things a more international flavour after the domestic acts kicked things off. English football fans watching will have been disappointed by the lack of Waka, Waka in the set; that song has become the tune for chants up and down the leagues over the last few seasons.
Burna Boy made the day of Sarina Wiegman last summer, when he joined the England Women’s manager on stage after the Lionesses’ parade for winning the Euros.
Proper Latin America World Cup vibes now. It’s hot, stuffy, smokey and Shakira has got the Mexicans pumped. Her tunes are on at every bar you into in Mexico City. Massive star here.
Now for the music
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As well as Shakira and Burna Boy, the other acts include: Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, Tyla and Ryan Castro. We’ve had electric guitar, pan pipes and accordions so far.
The theatrics have started
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A giant World Cup trophy has risen from the ground, and hundreds of volunteers are holding gold football aloft in the middle of an Aztec-themed production.
The opening ceremony has begun
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Well, Mexico’s opening ceremony at least. There are going to be three opening ceremonies, one for each host nation before their first game, with Toronto following tomorrow night before Los Angeles in the early hours of Saturday morning UK time. Shakira is the headliner this evening, though her native Colombia do not play until next week against Uzbekistan.
A taste of World Cup heritage
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Some privilege for Oli Brown and I covering this fixture at the Azteca. Our media tribune high up in the gods in a far corner of the stadium is said to be the same position as the commentators used at World Cup 1986. Maradona’s “hand of god” goal was at the other end, which is now bathed in sunshine. The nearest corner flag beneath us is the spot where John Barnes scampered down the line and fired over a brilliant cross which Gary Lineker narrowly failed to convert to make it 2-2 in the dying minutes.
Will we see this rule change in action tonight?
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Grappling was a bugbear for many throughout the Premier League season and it will now be clamped down on. Last month, Pierluigi Collina, the Fifa referees’ chief, secured permission from lawmakers to allow match officials to rule out goals for fouls committed by the attacking team before the ball is in play. A specially convened meeting of the International Football Association Board (Ifab) backed the proposal to fast-track a rule.
Security presence remains in place
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The perimeter of the stadium continues to be heavily, heavily policed.
My verdict on Mexico’s style of play
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Aguirre is managing Mexico for the third time in his career, and will ponder whether to find room for two strikers in his team. Without Giménez, he has settled on 4-3-3, but goals have been a problem; a 5-1 win over Serbia is only the second instance of Mexico scoring more than once in their last 12 matches. There have been concerns about a lack of attacking cohesion, and Aguirre being too reliant on functional midfielders.
This is from our team-by-team guide which you can read here.
A repeat fixture, 16 years on
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— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 11, 202611th June - Mexico and South Africa will repeat the opening fixture of the 2010 World Cup – exactly 16 years since their 1-1 draw in Johannesburg; it's the first time an opening fixture has ever been repeated from the 19 previous single-match World Cup openers.
Tshabalala. pic.twitter.com/Vu0wAeVyVS
Fifa’s high prices in action
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The big story at this stage in Qatar was a last-minute beer ban in and around the stadiums.
No such issues for fans arriving early at Azteca: the biggest queue is at the Corona stand. At 310 Mexican pesos a can (£13.30), we see this World Cup of profiteering in action. Outside, that would get you a three course meal.
Police have kept protests away from stadium
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Police appear to be keeping the two lead protest groups threatening to disrupt the match at bay.
Fan’s filter through row after row of riot police but the scenes after a walk around the entire perimeter of the stadium are trouble free.
The teachers who pulled down a statue last week appear to be based primarily around the fan zone in the centre.
The mothers of the missing, meanwhile, struck a last minute deal to march on Wednesday as well as today. It appears to have taken some of the steam out, much to Fifa’s relief.
Staying hydrated
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That fan is not having any of the cheap stuff: he is drinking from a bottle of Don Julio 70 Cristalino tequila, which retails at £85 a bottle according to some cursory browsing. Has he been saving it for just this occasion? I like to think so.
A heavy police presence near the fan zone
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Almost three hours until kick-off, but things appear to be quite peaceful and convivial.
Close to the fan park, which is adjacent to Zócalo plaza, the teachers’ union protesters have built a city of tents in an effort to get their point across.
The celebrities are arriving
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Boxer Canelo Alvarez and his wife Fernanda Gomez are on the red turquoise carpet before the game. Canelo is a nickname, the Spanish word for cinnamon, in honour of Alvarez’s quite un-Mexican hair colour.
If you want to read more about the cartels...
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In this special report, Tom Morgan and our documentary maker Jack Leather have made a seven-minute video showing despairing families going about the grim task of searching for human remains.
We are in a cartel stronghold in Guadalajara, where state officers wielding M16 rifles watch us and the searchers with minimal interest. Officials are there just to monitor as the team of mothers and fathers thrust iron spikes into the ground and then smell the tips for signs of rotting flesh. After two hours at the site, Flores is suddenly convinced we have found a new grave because he has discovered a pile of chalk, usually left by the cartel to soak up moisture and the rancid stench. “Remains here probably,” he says.
Protests are ongoing on match day
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Mexico’s largest education workers’ union are marching to draw attention to inadequate conditions and wages.
Another strand of the protests is the movement dedicated to drawing attention to los desaparecidos – those who are missing or “disappeared”, likely victims of the cartel’s violence, trafficking or enforced labour.
Even the chickens are wearing sombreros
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You take any perch you can get, I suppose.
Associated with the Day of the Dead festival, skull imagery can be celebratory in Mexico.
Protests as well as a fiesta with thousands lining streets of Mexico City
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Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of the opening game of the 2026 World Cup: Mexico vs South Africa, which is a repeat of the 2010 curtain-raiser.
South Africa were the hosts then, when Siphiwe Tshabalala’s outstanding goal was greeted by a hail of vuvuzelas and an imperishable Peter Drury commentary line.
This time Mexico are the home side, and the Azteca Stadium can be considered the cradle of World Cup football having hosted the 1970 and 1986 finals, as well as the “Hand of God” quarter-final between England and Argentina.
There is a fervent, and fraught, atmosphere in Mexico City where thousands have taken to the streets this week in protest at working conditions and cartel violence and abduction.
There is plenty of revelry too, though. Tom Morgan is on the ground for us.
After all the controversy ahead of this World Cup, the vibrant scenes around the Azteca stadium ahead of kick off are food for the soul.
Salsa dancers and their bands have been going through routines since we arrived here at the absurdly early hour of 6am.
Tens of thousands are already here in Mexico green replica shirts, cramming a nearby food hall, wolfing down eggs and bacon and tacos. There are ear-piercing whistles and shouts of “Viva Mexico”.
Around the stadium, workers scrambled last night to get the site ready. Huge cracks in the pavement approaches to the stadium have been covered in cement
Roads around the stadium have all been shut down but those able to walk the half mile walk take delight in soaking up the atmosphere, with taco stands and bands on every corner.
There is a heavy armed police presence and protests will delay those turning up later, but, so far, these scenes are exactly what we all needed: the World Cup has arrived in a blaze of colour and enthusiasm.