In the inaugural match of the 2026 World Cup at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca, co-hosts Mexico secured a 2-0 victory over South Africa. This event marks the largest World Cup ever held.
While it was a moment of celebration for Mexico, the game was overshadowed by an unprecedented three red cards: two issued to South Africa and one to Mexico, setting a record for the most red cards in an opening World Cup match.
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This was Mexico’s eighth appearance in an opening World Cup match and their first victory, having previously drawn twice and lost five, including a match against then-host South Africa in the 2010 World Cup.
The newly renovated Estadio Azteca, which now hosts its third World Cup, provided a fitting backdrop for the occasion, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Defender Israel Reyes expressed his excitement, stating, “It was an experience unlike any other… a dream come true.”
The enthusiastic crowd of over 80,000 fans, predominantly dressed in Mexico’s colors, rejoiced when Julián Quiñones scored the tournament’s opening goal within the first nine minutes, maneuvering the ball through the legs of South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Quiñones, the top scorer in the Saudi league this season, became the first player to score a World Cup opener since Philipp Lahm scored for Germany against Costa Rica in just six minutes during the 2006 tournament.
Reflecting on his accomplishment, he stated, “I’m thrilled to have scored in front of such a packed stadium with fans rallying behind us. We performed well and earned this victory as a collective.”
South Africa faced a setback early in the second half when midfielder Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole was shown a straight red card for a foul on Brian Gutiérrez near the box. Shortly after, veteran striker Raúl Jiménez sealed the victory for Mexico with a close-range header, marking his 46th international goal and his first in World Cup history, putting him in a tie for second place among Mexico’s all-time scorers.
“Honestly, we didn’t dwell on the challenges we faced during the match,” said substitute Érik Lira. “We focused on our game and gave everything we had.”
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Keller: Mexico ‘could have set the tone’ for the group
“It’s a significant responsibility for us, representing a nation of 180 million,” Lira continued. “From the moment the referee blew the whistle, we were determined to win.”
In a historic moment, Mexico also saw the World Cup debut of 17-year-old Gilberto Mora in the second half, making him the youngest player to represent Mexico in World Cup history.
South Africa’s misfortune continued as Themba Zwane received a red card for striking Roberto Alvarado following a VAR review, a rare occurrence in World Cup history. This marked the first instance of a team receiving two red cards in one match since 2006.
Referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio concluded the match by issuing a third red card to Mexico’s César Montes during stoppage time. With three red cards already this tournament, we are just one shy of the total from the last World Cup in Qatar.
Following a disappointing exit in the first round of the 2022 World Cup, Mexico now sits with three points in Group A and will face South Korea on June 18 in Guadalajara, while South Africa will meet Czechia the same day in Atlanta.
The opening ceremony featured performances by Shakira, Maná, Andrea Bocelli, and a surprise appearance from Salma Hayek. Shakira, who performed the tournament’s official song “Dai Dai” alongside Burna Boy, graced the stage for her fourth World Cup opening appearance.
Mexican-American artist Lila Downs welcomed participants in Spanish, English, as well as the indigenous languages Mixtec and Nahuatl.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.