Mexico got their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign off to a perfect start with an impressive 2-0 victory over South Africa in the tournament’s opening match on Wednesday night.
The encounter brought back memories of the 2010 World Cup opener between the same teams, which ended in a 1-1 draw. This time, however, the hosts made sure there was no repeat of that result.
Backed by their home supporters, Mexico started brightly and took the lead just nine minutes into the game through Julián Quiñones, setting the tone for a dominant performance.
South Africa struggled to contain the Mexican attack and found themselves under constant pressure throughout the match. Their task became even more difficult as disciplinary issues reduced them to nine players before the final whistle.
Veteran striker Raúl Jiménez put the result beyond doubt in the 67th minute when he added Mexico’s second goal of the night.
Although Mexico also finished the game with 10 men after César Montes received a late red card in stoppage time, it did little to affect the outcome as the hosts comfortably secured all three points.
The victory gives Mexico an ideal start to their World Cup journey and provides an early boost in their bid to make a deep run in the competition.