FIFA World Cup 2026 Mexico vs South Africa highlights: Who won between Mex and SA in the dramatic 2026 opener? Check key moments, red cards and more

Mexico vs South Africa: Mexico kicked off its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in style, defeating South Africa 2-0 in the tournament's opening match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

The game had everything football fans could ask for, i.e. early goals, red cards, historic records and a packed stadium atmosphere. More importantly for the hosts, it ended a frustrating streak of winless World Cup opening matches.

ALSO READ: FIFA 2026 football World Cup streaming: How to watch it for free in India?

Match Highlights

Mexico beat South Africa 2-0
Julián Quiñones scored the first goal of the 2026 World Cup
Raúl Jiménez added the second goal
Three players were sent off during the match
Mexico registered its first World Cup opening-match win in decades
Nearly 80,000 fans packed Estadio Azteca

Mexico Finally Wins a World Cup Opener

For years, Mexico struggled to start World Cups with a victory. That changed on Thursday night as El Tri delivered a composed performance in front of home supporters.

ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule Indian Time (IST) PDF

The breakthrough came early when Julián Quiñones found the net in the ninth minute, becoming the first goalscorer of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mexico continued to dominate possession and create chances before veteran striker Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead with a powerful header.

Key Moments

9th minute: Julián Quiñones opens the scoring
Mexico controls the first half
Raúl Jiménez scores Mexico's second goal
South Africa struggles to create clear opportunities
Three Red Cards Make World Cup History

While Mexico celebrated the victory, the match will also be remembered for its disciplinary drama.

Red Cards

Sphephelo Sithole (South Africa) — sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity
Themba Zwane (South Africa) — shown a red card after a VAR review
César Montes (Mexico) — dismissed in stoppage time

The three dismissals made the game the first World Cup opening match in history to feature three red cards.

Why This Win Matters for Mexico

The result gives Mexico an early advantage in Group A and boosts confidence for the matches ahead.

What Mexico Gains

Three points

Clean sheet

First World Cup opener victory in years

Strong start in front of home fans

Momentum heading into the next group-stage fixture

The match:

Ended a long-standing opening-game drought
Produced the first goal of World Cup 2026
Featured a record three red cards
Delivered a memorable night for home supporters

For Mexico, it was the perfect start to a World Cup being played on home soil. For football, Mexico finally wins a World Cup opener

For years, Mexico struggled to start World Cups with a victory. That changed on Thursday night as El Tri delivered a composed performance in front of home supporters. The breakthrough came early when Julián Quiñones found the net in the ninth minute, becoming the first goalscorer of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mexico continued to dominate possession and create chances before veteran striker Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead with a powerful header.