Three red cards, a dramatic come-from-behind victory by an Asian side, and a glittering 90-minute opening ceremony – if that doesn’t ignite the passion of any football fan, nothing will. And yet, this was only the beginning of the expanded 48-team, 104-match FIFA World Cup 2026, taking place across Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Co-hosts Mexico rose to the occasion in front of a passionate home crowd at the Estadio Azteca, but the match quickly descended into a fiery battle. Meanwhile, in Guadalajara, South Korea produced the first major giant-killing of the tournament, stunning a heavily favoured Czech Republic with an impressive second-half turnaround.
Before the Chaos: A Show to Remember
Before a ball was kicked, Mexico City put on a spectacle worthy of the world’s biggest sporting stage. The opening ceremony — held 90 minutes before kickoff — was a vibrant mix of Aztec culture, folkloric performance, and papel picado artistry, and it drew performers from across the globe. Colombian superstar Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy performed “Dai Dai,” the official tournament anthem they co-wrote, sending 80,000-plus inside the stadium into a frenzy.
Mexican rock legends Maná, J Balvin, Belinda, Danny Ocean, Los Ángeles Azules and Lila Downs were also on stage, while South African artist Tyla performed her nation’s anthem ahead of their match against the hosts. Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and South Korean singer EJAE also performed as part of the show.
It was the first of three ceremonies across the three host nations — Toronto followed on June 12 ahead of Canada’s first-ever home World Cup match, with Los Angeles closing the trilogy later the same day before the United States face Paraguay.
The Breakdown: Chaos at the Azteca
Final Score: Mexico 2 – 0 South Africa
Goal Scorers: Julián Quiñones (9′), Raúl Jiménez (67′)
An electric crowd of nearly 80,000 fans packed the Estadio Azteca expecting a festival of football, but they got into a high-octane battle of attrition. Mexico claimed its first-ever opening-day match at a men’s World Cup, but the headlines were entirely stolen by a referee brandishing red cards.
The Early Strike: Mexico wasted no time introducing themselves to the tournament. In the 9th minute, Julián Quiñones etched his name into football folklore by slotting home the first official goal of the 2026 World Cup, sending the stadium into an absolute frenzy.
His goal was a historic moment for the region, marking the first time a Concacaf player scored the first goal in a single edition of the FIFA World Cup.
The Veteran Seals It
In the 67th minute, Raúl Jiménez finally got his World Cup moment — scoring in his fourth FIFA World Cup appearance after 12 years of waiting. He met a precise cross from Roberto Alvarado at the far post and headed it home, before breaking down in tears.
At 35 years and 37 days, Jiménez is now the oldest player to score on his first FIFA World Cup start. He pointed to the sky after the goal — an emotional tribute to his late father, who passed away in March.
The Red Card Meltdown
The second half will be remembered for all the wrong reasons for Bafana Bafana. South Africa’s discipline shattered under the intense Mexican press. Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole received a red card in the 49th minute for denying a goalscoring opportunity as Brian Gutiérrez broke free on goal. Things went from bad to worse when substitute Themba Zwane was sent off in the 84th minute after VAR judged he had struck Mexico winger Roberto Alvarado.
Stoppage Time Revenge: Refusing to let South Africa walk away with all the disciplinary heat, Mexico’s captain César Montes was shown a straight red card at 90+2′ — for a foul on South Africa right back Khuliso Mudau, who was charging into the box.
With three red cards in a single game, Mexico vs. South Africa officially set the record for the most disciplinary ejections in any World Cup opening match in history. It was also the first World Cup match with three red cards since Croatia vs. Australia in 2006.
The Shock: South Korea Stuns the Czechs
Final Score: South Korea 2 – 1 Czech Republic
Goal Scorers: Ladislav Krejčí (59′ – CZE) | Hwang In-beom (67′ – KOR), Oh Hyeon-gyu (80′ – KOR)
While the drama boiled over in Mexico City, Group A’s second fixture in Guadalajara delivered pure tactical theater. The Czech Republic were playing in their first World Cup match in 20 years, but South Korea’s relentless work rate completely flipped the script.
Czechs Take the Lead: Following a cagey, goalless first half, the Czech Republic finally broke the deadlock in the 59th minute. Captain Ladislav Krejčí powered home a header from Vladimír Coufal’s long throw, seemingly putting the European side in total control.
The K-Engine Ignites
The goal served as a massive wake-up call for the Taeguk Warriors. Just eight minutes later, Hwang In-beom drew South Korea level when he cut inside from Lee Kang-in’s pass and clipped a deft finish inside the post, completely shifting the momentum of the game.
The Comeback Completed
With the Czech defense visibly tiring, South Korea struck the lethal blow. Oh Hyeon-gyu netted the winner in the 80th minute, sliding in to convert Hwang’s cutback and secure a historic come-from-behind victory. Hwang In-beom became the third player for South Korea to record a goal and an assist in a FIFA World Cup match.
Group A Standings After Day 1
| Team | Played | Won | Goal Diff | Points |
| Mexico | 1 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| South Korea | 1 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| Czech Republic | 1 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| South Africa | 1 | 0 | -2 | 0 |