The 2026 World Cup is finally upon us as co-hosts Mexico and South Africa prepare to get proceedings underway in front of over 80,000 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday night (8pm, UK time).
The stadium boasts two of the six highest attendances in World Cup history, both coming back in 1986 when Mexico played Paraguay and then Argentina faced off against West Germany in the final (both 114,600). The crowd won’t be quite that big tonight but we can still expect a cauldron of noise, colour, and excitement in Mexico City.
Mexico vs South Africawill be followed by South Korea vs Czech Republic (3am UK time) at the Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan (Mexico) in the other match in Group A on day 1.
Stats you might see on Day 1
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Mexico vs South Africa stats
- Mexico snapshot stat: Gilberto Mora is the youngest player at the 2026 World Cup and, if he plays tonight, will become the sixth youngest World Cup player of all time (17 years and 240 days old).
- South Africa snapshot stat: The record for the oldest manager to take charge of a World Cup match will be broken three times in the space of just 70 hours, starting with South Africa’s Hugo Broos (74) against Mexico on Thursday.
Mexico and South Africa kick-off World Cup 2026, rekindling memories of the tournament’s opening match in 2010 when the two countries played out a 1-1 draw on South African turf.
Mexico have already created history by becoming the first country to host the World Cup three times following the 1970 and 1986 tournaments. This will be El Tri’s 18th appearance at the finals – the joint-fifth most of any country – although their passionate fans will need no reminding that they are still searching for a first quarter-final appearance since they last hosted the tournament four decades ago.
Manager Javier Aguirre, in his third spell, has his side head in cracking form, having gone unbeaten in eight matches so far this year. They can draw on an impressive record in their opening World Cup games, going undefeated in their last seven, five of which they’ve won.
With anticipation reaching fever pitch across the country, Mexico will be eager to avoid an upset. The pressure of hosting can be immense, but history is on their side with only one host ever losing their opening match of a World Cup, albeit that exception was Qatar four years ago.
There could also be a slice of individual history on the night. All eyes will be on the Mexican teamsheet as veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa bids to become the first player ever to feature at six World Cup tournaments, although his place in the starting XI is not guaranteed. If selected, he would achieve the milestone ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who are set to feature in their sixth World Cup each.
At the opposite end of the age chart is Mexico wonderkid Gilberto Mora, who holds the title of the youngest player at this year’s World Cup and, at just 17 years and 240 days old on 11th June, he could become the sixth-youngest player ever to appear at the tournament after Pele, Salomon Olembe, Femi Opabunmi, Samuel Eto’o, and Norman Whiteside, who holds the record at 17 years and 41 days old at the 1982 World Cup.
READ: 10 player records that could be broken at the 2026 World Cup
South Africa return to the World Cup after a 16-year absence. They’ve previously featured in three World Cups (1998, 2002 & 2010), winning a game in each of the last two, but they’ve never escaped the clutches of the group stages.
Qualifying from Group A – also featuring South Korea and Czech Republic – is by no means unachievable and the Bafana Bafana can significantly boost their chances by upsetting the co-hosts on home soil. Speaking of hosts, South Africa became the first country to host a World Cup and fail to qualify from the group stages when they finished third in Group A 16 years ago.
South Africa boss Hugo Broos, aged 74, will become the oldest manager ever to oversee a World Cup match when his side takes to the field tonight. A record that will, unfortunately, last mere hours as Czech Republic manager Miroslav Koubek, who is seven months older, then takes charge in the very next game. However, in another twist, both bosses will then be eclipsed by Curacao’s Dick Advocaat, who will break the record aged 78 when Curacao face Germany on Sunday.
READ: 10 manager records and stats that could be broken at World Cup 2026
South Korea vs Czech Republic stats
- South Korea snapshot stat: Son Heung-min (56) is just two goals away from matching the country’s top goalscorer of all time, Cha Bum-kun, who leads the way on 58 goals.
- Czech Republic snapshot stat: Bidding to win only their second World Cup game since 1990.
South Korea will take to the World cup stage for the 12th time – an Asian record – but while they may be against it to better their fourth place finish from 2002, they will be eyeing up passage into the knockout stages. The Taegeuk Warriors went unbeaten in qualifying for the tournament, winning 11 of their 16 games.
Former Spurs star Son Heung-Min was on fire in qualifying, scoring 10 goals and carving out four assists. Son, 56 goals for his country, has history in his grasp this summer as he looks to match – or even surpass – Cha Bum-kun’s all-time record of 58 goals.
Czech Republic return to the World Cup for the first time since 2006 after navigating their way through not one but two play-off penalty shoot-outs, proving that they could be a tough nut to crack in Group A.
The Representatives have, however, only won one World Cup match since 1990 when they claimed three wins en route to the quarter-finals.
They will look to utilise their status as set-piece specialists, which accounted for aa goals in qualify, while their aerial supremacy is also something to keep an eye on, with seven headers scored on qualifying.
Patrik Schick is the country’s third top goalscrorer of all time with 26 goals, six of which have been scored at major tournaments, famously netting five times at Euro 2020 where he finished as the joint-top scorer. He has two goals in his last three games for his country and his eye for goal could prove crucial in their chances of progressing.
As mentioned earlier, Czech boss Miroslav Koubek, 74, will briefly become the oldest manager ever to take charge of a World Cup match when his side face South Korea. However, the record is set to stand for only 63 hours before Curacao’s 78-year-old manager Dick Advocaat takes over the mantle on Sunday evening.
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