Image source: Alamy Stock Photo
2026 World Cup
Group A
Mexico vs South Africa
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
11 June 2026, 21:00
South Africa will look to spoil Mexico’s party in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, as the Group A rivals meet at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on the evening of Thursday 11 June. Kick-off at 21:00.
South Africa completed their preparations for the World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Jamaica in a behind-closed-doors friendly in Pachuca on Sunday morning, with Lyle Foster’s goal cancelled out by Dwayne Atkinson.
Bafana Bafana have now gone five matches without a win, and coach Hugo Broos wants to see a major improvement for Thursday’s crunch clash: “The performance was not what I expected. We have to analyse the game [against Jamaica] very well, identify what went wrong and improve in the next few days so that we are ready for the first game against Mexico.”
The Belgian tactician added, “We have to look at what went wrong. I think it was also a matter of mentality. We have to do much more than we did this afternoon if we want good results in the World Cup over the next few weeks.”
Mexico, meanwhile, gave warning of their attacking potency with an emphatic 5-1 win over Serbia in a friendly in Toluca on Friday, with Johan Vasquez, Raul Jimenez and Luis Chavez adding to two own goals from the European team.
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre will be on something of a revenge mission in this match, as he was in charge of Egypt when they were stunned 1-0 by Bafana on home soil in the round of 16 at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
“South Africa have done well and beat me in the African Cup,” Aguirre told reporters. “They are a fierce team, not exactly with an African style, but a mix with European football. They have a Belgian coach and some interesting players. I have the utmost respect for them. It won't be easy.”
In head-to-head terms, Mexico and South Africa have met in four matches dating back as far as 1993. El Tri have claimed two wins compared to one for Bafana, while the lone draw was the teams’ most recent meeting and also their most notable.
South Africa and Mexico drew 1-1 in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, with goals from Siphiwe Tshabalala and Rafael Marquez respectively. The match was played on June 11 – the exact same date for their meeting in the opener for the 2026 World Cup.
Mexico vs South Africa, head-to-head
Matches played 4
Mexico wins 2
South Africa wins 1
Draws 1
Mexico goals 10
South Africa goals 5
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