ShireHub's read: The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Shakira opened it. Burna Boy, Andrea Bocelli and Salma Hayek on stage in front of 87,000 people. Mexico defeats South Africa 2-0 in the World Cup’s opening match.

Mexico 2–0 South Africa | Group A | June 11

Three red cards. Two goals. One moment that stopped the stadium.

Mexico opened the scoring in the 9th minute. South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole was caught in possession trying to play out from a goal kick, and Julián Quiñones pounced on the loose ball, driving a right-footed finish into the net. No assist recorded. Sithole essentially did the work himself.

South Africa then lost Sithole to the tournament's first red card, issued just after halftime, leaving Bafana Bafana with ten men. Mexico made them pay in the 67th minute. Roberto Alvarado delivered a cross from the right flank, and Raúl Jiménez arrived at the back post to nod it into the net with a precise header.

The match closed with two more red cards. South Africa's Themba Zwane was dismissed for a needless off-the-ball foul in the closing minutes. Mexico's César Montes followed him down the tunnel after the referee judged that he had denied South Africa a clear goalscoring opportunity, a decision that most people watching felt was unduly harsh.

Jiménez, 35, dropped to his knees and burst into tears on the pitch. In November 2020, he fractured his skull in a Premier League match at Arsenal. Surgeons rebuilt part of his head. His career was in genuine doubt for more than a year. He came back, kept playing, and made it to a World Cup. His father died earlier this year. He had said he was playing this tournament for him.

What's coming up

The group stage runs through June 26. Here's what matters this week:

June 12 — Today Canada open their home World Cup against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto (Group B). Then the match everyone in North America actually wants to see: USA vs Paraguay in Los Angeles (Group D). The hosts, on their own soil, in their first World Cup game since 2014. Twelve years in the making.

June 13 — Brazil enter Brazil vs Morocco in New York (Group C). Morocco reached the semi-finals in 2022 and beat several heavyweights on the way. Brazil haven't won a World Cup since 2002. This is not a routine group game.

June 16 — Argentina and France Defending champions Argentina face Algeria in Kansas City (Group J). France take on Senegal in New York (Group I). Two of the tournament favourites, both in matches that could go sideways quickly.

June 17 — England vs Croatia Four years ago, Croatia knocked England out of the 2018 semi-final. Now they're in the same group again. Dallas, Group L. If you need a reason to watch a group stage match at full attention, that's your reason.

-ShireHub will be here for every group stage result, every upset, every knockout, all the way to the final whistle on July 19.

💬 Who are you backing this World Cup? And did you watch the opening ceremony?👇

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