2026 World Cup opens with Mexico vs. South Africa, Czech Republic vs. South Korea
On June 11, the first matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place — in the opening game Mexico will face South Africa at the legendary Azteca Stadium followed by the clash between Czechia and South Korea in Guadalajara.
2026 FIFA World Cup
Group A, Round 1, June 11, Mexico City, Azteca Stadium
Mexico vs. South Africa: W2 D1 L1 (10-5)
Coaches: Javier Aguirre / Hugo Broos (Belgium)
Referee: Wilton Sampaio (Brazil)
A special opening for a special tournament — 16 years ago, on June 11, 2010, the national teams of South Africa and Mexico opened the World Cup in South Africa. The match in Johannesburg ended in a 1–1 draw. Now history comes full circle at the famous Azteca Stadium — the very stadium where, 40 years ago, Diego Maradona first showed the world the «Hand of God.»
Group A turned out to be one of the most balanced in the tournament, with teams remarkably equal in class. Notably, two of its managers — Belgian Hugo Broos of South Africa and Czech Miroslav Koubek — rank among the three oldest coaches at the event. Both are 74, surpassed only by Dutch master Dick Advocaat, 78, who is back in charge of the Curacao national team.
Mexico, a co-host, comes in as the expected side to take the points. At their two previous home World Cups — 1970 and 1986 — El Tri reached the quarterfinals. South Africa’s answer will be physicality and pace. Bafana Bafana — «The Boys» —nevertheless play a fast, athletic football.
For South Korea and Czechia, discipline is the key. For South Korea it’s their 11th World Cup in a row, and the national team finished fourth at the 2002 home tournament. Czechia made it to the 2026 World Cup the hard way, winning a penalty shootout against Denmark.
The two sides have met only once before. In 2016, Czechia lost 1–2 to South Korea in Prague in a friendly that barely lived up to the name — six yellow cards and a red. From the 60th minute the hosts were down to ten men.
2026 FIFA World Cup
Group A, Round 1, June 11, Guadalajara, Estadio Akron
South Korea vs. Czechia: W1 D0 L0
Coaches: Hong Myung-bo / Miroslav Koubek
Referee: Amin Omar (Egypt)
The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup is being held across three countries for the first time — the U.S., Canada and Mexico — with 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. Europe has 16 representatives, Africa 10, Asia 9, South America and CONCACAF 6 each and Oceania 1.
After a single round of group matches, 16 teams are eliminated — the bottom side from each group plus the four worst third-placed teams. The remaining 32 then enter a single-elimination bracket: Round of 32, Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
