Mexico v South Africa, 11 June 2026

Score2-0 to Mexico
Referee Wilton Sampaio
CompetitionFIFA World Cup Group A
VenueEstadio Azteca, Mexico City
Attendance80,824

View Mexico v South Africa head to head

Kick-off: 1.00pm local . Head to Head Played: 5 Mexico won: 3 Drawn: 1 South Africa won: 1 Mexico scored: 12 South Africa scored: 5 . FIFA World Ranking: Mexico 14th, South Africa 60th . This was the second time that Mexico and South Africa had met in the opening fixture of a FIFA World Cup tournament: exactly 16 years to the day previously, they drew 1-1 in Johannesburg.

2 Mexico

Manager: Javier Aguirre

0 South Africa

Manager: Hugo Broos

Goals:

Julian Quiñones 9 G
Raúl Jiménez 67 G

Goals:

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel
Defender César Montes (captain)
Defender Johan Vásquez
Defender/Midfielder Roberto Alvarado
Defender/Midfielder Jesús Gallardo
Defender/Midfielder Israel Reyes
Midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo
Midfielder Erik Lira
Midfielder/Forward Brian Gutiérrez
Midfielder/Forward Julian Quiñones
Forward Raúl Jiménez

Starting lineup:

Ronwen Williams Goalkeeper (captain)
Mbekezeli Mbokazi Defender
Ime Okon Defender
Nkosinathi Sibisi Defender
Aubrey Modiba Defender/Midfielder
Teboho Mokoena Defender/Midfielder
Khuliso Mudau Defender/Midfielder
Jayden Adams Midfielder
Sphephelo Sithole Midfielder
Iqraam Rayners Midfielder/Forward
Lyle Foster Forward

Substitutions:

Luis Chávez for Brian Gutiérrez 66
Gilberto Mora for Alvaro Fidalgo 66
Edson Alvarez for Raúl Jiménez 76
Armando González for Erik Lira 76
Alexis Vega for Julian Quiñones 79

Substitutions:

Thalente Mbatha for Lyle Foster 56
Themba Zwane for Jayden Adams 61
Oswin Appollis for Aubrey Modiba 76
Evidence Makgopa for Iqraam Rayners 76

Cards:

Brian Gutiérrez 23 Y
César Montes 90+2 R

Cards:

Teboho Mokoena 17 Y
Sphephelo Sithole 49 R
Nkosinathi Sibisi 74 Y
Themba Zwane 84 R

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo
Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa
Defender Mateo Chávez
Defender/Midfielder Edson Alvarez
Defender/Midfielder Luis Romo
Defender/Midfielder Jorge Sánchez
Midfielder Luis Chávez
Midfielder Orbelín Pineda
Midfielder Obed Vargas
Midfielder/Forward Armando González
Midfielder/Forward César Huerta
Midfielder/Forward Gilberto Mora
Midfielder/Forward Alexis Vega
Forward Santiago Giménez
Forward Guillermo Martínez

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Sipho Chaine
Goalkeeper Ricardo Goss
Defender Bradley Cross
Defender Samukelo Kabini
Defender Olwethu Makhanya
Defender Thabang Matuludi
Defender Khulumani Ndamane
Midfielder Thalente Mbatha
Midfielder Themba Zwane
Midfielder/Forward Oswin Appollis
Midfielder/Forward Thapelo Maseko
Midfielder/Forward Relebohile Mofokeng
Midfielder/Forward Tshepang Moremi
Midfielder/Forward Kamogelo Sebelebele
Forward Evidence Makgopa

Comments:

Mexico had now become the first nation to host three FIFA World Cup tournaments. . At their sixth attempt, this was the first time that El Tri had won the opening game at a FIFA World Cup tournament (lost three). . Born in Columbia, Julián Quiñones became the first player to score the opening goal of a FIFA World Cup tournament who was born outside of the country he represented. [c/o @MisterChiping]

Comments:

South Africa had now failed to win in their four opening games at FIFA World Cup finals (lost two). . Bafana Bafana became the second team to have two players sent-off in the opening game at a FIFA World Cup finals: previously Cameroon versus Argentina at Milan on 8 June 1990 (Andre Kana-Biyik and Benjamin Massing). . This was the second time that they had played against a host nation in a game at the FIFA World Cup finals: previously a 3-0 loss in France in 1998. . Themba Zwane was shown a red card in the 84th minute following a VAR review for violent conduct.

2 Mexico

Manager: Javier Aguirre

Goals:

Julian Quiñones 9 G
Raúl Jiménez 67 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel
Defender César Montes (captain)
Defender Johan Vásquez
Defender/Midfielder Roberto Alvarado
Defender/Midfielder Jesús Gallardo
Defender/Midfielder Israel Reyes
Midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo
Midfielder Erik Lira
Midfielder/Forward Brian Gutiérrez
Midfielder/Forward Julian Quiñones
Forward Raúl Jiménez

Substitutions:

Luis Chávez for Brian Gutiérrez 66
Gilberto Mora for Alvaro Fidalgo 66
Edson Alvarez for Raúl Jiménez 76
Armando González for Erik Lira 76
Alexis Vega for Julian Quiñones 79

Cards:

Brian Gutiérrez 23 Y
César Montes 90+2 R

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo
Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa
Defender Mateo Chávez
Defender/Midfielder Edson Alvarez
Defender/Midfielder Luis Romo
Defender/Midfielder Jorge Sánchez
Midfielder Luis Chávez
Midfielder Orbelín Pineda
Midfielder Obed Vargas
Midfielder/Forward Armando González
Midfielder/Forward César Huerta
Midfielder/Forward Gilberto Mora
Midfielder/Forward Alexis Vega
Forward Santiago Giménez
Forward Guillermo Martínez

Comments:

Mexico had now become the first nation to host three FIFA World Cup tournaments. . At their sixth attempt, this was the first time that El Tri had won the opening game at a FIFA World Cup tournament (lost three). . Born in Columbia, Julián Quiñones became the first player to score the opening goal of a FIFA World Cup tournament who was born outside of the country he represented. [c/o @MisterChiping]

0 South Africa

Manager: Hugo Broos

Goals:

Starting lineup:

Ronwen Williams Goalkeeper (captain)
Mbekezeli Mbokazi Defender
Ime Okon Defender
Nkosinathi Sibisi Defender
Aubrey Modiba Defender/Midfielder
Teboho Mokoena Defender/Midfielder
Khuliso Mudau Defender/Midfielder
Jayden Adams Midfielder
Sphephelo Sithole Midfielder
Iqraam Rayners Midfielder/Forward
Lyle Foster Forward

Substitutions:

Thalente Mbatha for Lyle Foster 56
Themba Zwane for Jayden Adams 61
Oswin Appollis for Aubrey Modiba 76
Evidence Makgopa for Iqraam Rayners 76

Cards:

Teboho Mokoena 17 Y
Sphephelo Sithole 49 R
Nkosinathi Sibisi 74 Y
Themba Zwane 84 R

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Sipho Chaine
Goalkeeper Ricardo Goss
Defender Bradley Cross
Defender Samukelo Kabini
Defender Olwethu Makhanya
Defender Thabang Matuludi
Defender Khulumani Ndamane
Midfielder Thalente Mbatha
Midfielder Themba Zwane
Midfielder/Forward Oswin Appollis
Midfielder/Forward Thapelo Maseko
Midfielder/Forward Relebohile Mofokeng
Midfielder/Forward Tshepang Moremi
Midfielder/Forward Kamogelo Sebelebele
Forward Evidence Makgopa

Comments:

South Africa had now failed to win in their four opening games at FIFA World Cup finals (lost two). . Bafana Bafana became the second team to have two players sent-off in the opening game at a FIFA World Cup finals: previously Cameroon versus Argentina at Milan on 8 June 1990 (Andre Kana-Biyik and Benjamin Massing). . This was the second time that they had played against a host nation in a game at the FIFA World Cup finals: previously a 3-0 loss in France in 1998. . Themba Zwane was shown a red card in the 84th minute following a VAR review for violent conduct.