Mexico Dominates South Africa in FIFA World Cup 2026 Opener

The FIFA World Cup 2026 commenced with a thrilling match where Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 at Estadio Azteca. The game was notable for its intensity, featuring three red cards, a record for World Cup openers. Julian Quinones scored early, while Raul Jimenez made history by tying for second place in Mexico's all-time goal scorers. Additionally, 17-year-old Gilberto Mora became the youngest player to represent Mexico in the tournament. Mexico's next challenge is against South Korea on June 19. Read on for more details about this exciting match.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 12, 2026, 04:36 IST

Exciting Start to FIFA World Cup 2026

Mexico City [Mexico], June 12: The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off with an electrifying atmosphere as co-hosts Mexico triumphed over South Africa with a score of 2-0 at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Friday. The match was filled with thrilling moments, leading to notable statistics and records.

In a match marked by intense competition, three red cards were issued—two to South Africa and one to Mexico. This incident set a record for the most red cards shown in a World Cup opening match, according to ESPN. It was also the first occurrence of two red cards in a World Cup match since the 2006 tournament in Germany, where Portugal and the Netherlands faced a similar fate.

Mexico has now achieved 22 consecutive victories against African teams, with their last defeat against South Africa occurring during the 2005 Gold Cup. This match also marked the 20th World Cup event held at Estadio Azteca, the highest number for any stadium in World Cup history, and Mexico remains unbeaten at this venue.

After a challenging streak of seven matches without a win in World Cup openers, which included five losses and two draws, this victory marks the first time Mexico has begun a World Cup campaign with a full set of points.

Julian Quinones scored the opening goal in the ninth minute, making it the second-fastest goal in World Cup history since Philipp Lahm's goal for Germany against Costa Rica in 2006, as reported by Sky Sports.

Raul Jimenez added the second goal, tying him with Jared Borgetti as Mexico's second-highest goal-scorer, now just six goals behind Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, who has 52 goals, according to ESPN.

Additionally, Gilberto Mora made his debut as a substitute in the second half. At just 17 years and 240 days old, he became the youngest player to represent Mexico in the World Cup and the sixth-youngest in the tournament's history, as noted by ESPN. He is currently the youngest player in this ongoing tournament.

Mexico's next match is scheduled against South Korea on June 19.