Mexico vs South Africa World Cup 2026 preview, team news and prediction

The 2026 World Cup begins on Thursday night as co-hosts Mexico take on South Africa in Group A at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. It is the first of 104 matches in the new 48-team format, and it also carries a nod to 2010, when Rafael Márquez cancelled out Siphiwe Tshabalala’s famous opener in a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg.