Mexico vs South Africa: World Cup group match – teams, start and lineups
The 2026 World Cup will have 13 different kickoff times. You can use the Al Jazeera Sport widget to find out exactly when your team is playing in your local time.
Who: Mexico vs South Africa
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match
Where: Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
When: Thursday, 1pm local time (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup – the first on African soil – hosts South Africa faced Mexico in the tournament’s opening match, playing out a 1-1 draw.
On Thursday, the teams meet again at the same stage. This time, cohosts Mexico welcome South Africa, as the much-awaited 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in North America.
With 80,000 fans expected to pack the prestigious Estadio Azteca, the opener promises to be an incredible spectacle.
The biggest-ever World Cup’s curtain raiser
Thursday’s match in Mexico City will mark the start of a 39-day tournament, featuring 104 games – 40 more than in the last edition in Qatar 2022.
With an expanded participation pool of 48 teams, the 2026 World Cup is the biggest in the sport’s history, and the first to be held in three countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Exactly 90 minutes before kickoff, an opening ceremony will take place, headlined by four-time Grammy-winning superstar Shakira, while Colombian singer J Balvin and South African singer-songwriter Tyla will also feature among the cast of performers.
The biggest-ever World Cup’s curtain raiser
Thursday’s match in Mexico City will mark the start of a 39-day tournament, featuring 104 games – 40 more than in the last edition in Qatar 2022.
With an expanded participation pool of 48 teams, the 2026 World Cup is the biggest in the sport’s history, and the first to be held in three countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Exactly 90 minutes before kickoff, an opening ceremony will take place, headlined by four-time Grammy-winning superstar Shakira, while Colombian singer J Balvin and South African singer-songwriter Tyla will also feature among the cast of performers.
