2026 World Cup opening in Mexico City saw Mexico beat South Africa 2:0 at Estadio Azteca on Wednesday, according to FIFA match reports as the tournament began its monthlong schedule.
Ceremony: technology and ancient imagery
2026 World Cup opening began with a ceremony titled “Heart of the Aztec,” which used augmented reality technology to blend Aztec and Mayan motifs with projections of futuristic cityscapes. Organizers and FIFA said several hundred dancers performed to the tournament theme song, and local officials and FIFA President Gianni Infantino participated in the formal opening.
Local organizers and FIFA reported roughly 50,000 spectators in the stadium for the ceremony and kickoff, and the crowd cheered as the president declared the tournament open.
Opening match: hosts impose themselves, Mexico 2:0
Mexico, playing at home in Mexico City, struck early and controlled large stretches of the match. According to FIFA match reports, Julián Quiñones converted in the ninth minute with a composed finish inside the box, giving the hosts an early lead and delivering the first goal of the tournament.
In the second half veteran Raúl Jiménez rose to meet a cross and headed home, and the score was fixed at 2:0 in favor of Mexico. FIFA match reports said the teams were involved in several late incidents, and the referee issued three red cards over the course of the game.
Group A second match: South Korea rallies to win 2:1
Later in Guadalajara, South Korea faced the Czech Republic in a match that carried immediate Group A significance. The Czech captain Ladislav Krejčí headed home from a corner in the 58th minute to put the European side ahead, according to match reports filed by FIFA.
South Korea, nicknamed the Taeguk Warriors, intensified their pressing and equalized in the 66th minute when Hwang In-beom fired a long-range effort that took a deflection and went in. A substitute, Oh Hyeon-gyu, then finished from a scramble in the box in the 79th minute to give South Korea a 2:1 comeback victory, FIFA reported.
With those results, Mexico and South Korea sit level atop Group A after the opening day. FIFA match reports and tournament organizers provided official summaries and statistics for both matches.
Group A teams will reconvene for their next matches later in the week, as the 2026 World Cup opening day set a dramatic tone for the month ahead.