Mexico vs South Africa stats & report
- Full Time
- C. Montes92'
- 84'T. Zwane
- A. Vega on for J. Quiñones79'
- 77'O. Appollis on for A. Modiba
- 77'E. Makgopa on for I. Rayners
- A. González on for R. Jiménez76'
- E. Álvarez on for É. Lira76'
- 74'N. Sibisi
- R. Jiménez67'
- G. Mora on for Á. Fidalgo66'
- L. Chávez on for B. Gutiérrez66'
- 61'T. Zwane on for J. Adams
- 56'T. Mbatha on for L. Foster
- 49'Y. Sithole
- Half Time
- B. Gutiérrez23'
- 17'T. Mokoena
- J. Quiñones9'
-
1
Raúl Jiménez1 - 2Julián Quiñones1
- 1Julián Quiñones5
- 2Brian Gutiérrez4
- 3Raúl Jiménez4
- 1
Khuliso Mudau3 - 2Érik Lira2
- 3Mbekezeli Mbokazi1
Mexico vs South Africa predictions are in focus as World Cup 2026 gets underway on Thursday 11th June with a fascinating Group A opener. The match kicks off at 8pm (UK time), with tournament hosts Mexico looking to make the perfect start in front of a packed Estadio Azteca. Below, you’ll find our Mexico vs South Africa predictions, match preview and best betting tips.
El Tricolor open the tournament on home soil and will hope to make a statement against a South Africa side aiming to upset the odds. Bafana Bafana may lack the star names of some rival nations, but they have shown plenty of resilience on their way to the finals and will believe they can compete in a group that looks wide open.
A vibrant atmosphere is expected for the opening match of World Cup 2026, with both sets of supporters bringing colour and noise to one of football’s biggest occasions. The result could set the tone for the rest of Group A, making this a crucial contest for both nations. Read on for our full Mexico vs South Africa predictions and betting analysis.
Mexico vs South Africa Predictions & Betting Tips
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico -1 Handicap | 6/4 @ BOYLE Sports (40%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Mexico come into the game as clear favourites, currently priced at 4/9 to win the game outright. That price seems a little too short but there is plenty of value in the handicap market. Mexico will be keen to impress as hosts and could put South Africa to the sword as they look to make home advantage count. |
| Correct Score 2-0 | 13/2 @ Bet365 (13.3%) | ⭐⭐ | With that handicap price in mind, we also think there could be value to be found in the correct score market. Mexico are unbeaten in their last five games and have only conceded once in that time, while South Africa have struggled, winning just one of their last five and conceding an average of 1.6 goals per game in that period. Backing Mexico to run out 2-0 winners could prove to be a shrewd move as they look to exert their dominance. |
Click here to see our 9/1 Bet Builder Tip for Mexico vs South Africa
Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
Mexico vs South Africa betting offers
Sky Bet Mexico vs South Africa offer – 60/1 For Mexico To Win Or Draw
To get your hands on this incredible offer from Sky Bet, just follow these simple steps:
- Sign up at Sky Bet using this special link
- Deposit a minimum of £5 in your account
- Place a max £1 bet on ‘Mexico and Draw’ market only.
- If you bet is a winner the winnings from enhanced odds will be credited as six £10 bet tokens.
New customers only. £5 minimum deposit. Place a max £1 qualifying bet on ‘Mexico And Draw’ market only. First £1 single bet only. 6 x £10 bet tokens. Free bets for football BuildABets only, free bet stakes not included in returns, free bets are non-withdrawable. 14 Day free bet expiry. Eligibility restrictions. Further T&Cs apply.
Betfair Mexico vs South Africa offer – Mexico vs South Africa – 50/1 Goal To Be Score + £5 England Free Bet
To benefit from this great offer from Betfair, following these easy-to-follow steps:
- Sign up at Betfair using this special link and using promo code ZFBEDP
- Deposit a minimum of £5 by Pay by Bank, Cards or Apple Pay.
- Place a max £1 bet on “Over 0.5 Goals” in the Over/Under Goals market.
- If your bet is successful, you will be paid in cash based on the normal price on site and will have the extra amount, bringing the bet up to the cumulative 50/1 payout, credited in Free Bet Builders
Place a max £1 bet on “Over 0.5 Goals” in the Over/Under Goals market. Winnings paid in cash at normal odds and are topped up to the enhanced price in Free Bet Builder bets. £5 Free England Multi will be credited 24hrs after your qualifying stake is settled. Free bets are valid 30 days, only deposits with cards, ApplePay, & Pay by Bank are eligible. T&C’s apply. Please gamble responsibly.
How both teams go into Mexico vs South Africa
As hosts, Mexico haven’t had to qualify for the 2026 World Cup and haven’t played a competitive fixture since July 2025, with 11 friendlies being played since that point. They’ve only lost two of those matches, 4-0 to Colombia and 2-1 to Paraguay, but have drawn six. That leaves them with just three victories, which will be disappointing heading into a home tournament.
Being drawn into Group A means El Tricolor will take on Czech Republic, South Korea after South Africa. Their first match probably represents their best chance of picking up three points and a win could give them the momentum to go on to top the group. Currently, they are maginal favourites to win Group A.
South Africa qualified for the World Cup in October 2025. They finished top of Group C in CAF qualifying, one point ahead of both Nigeria and Benin. It was far from an easy campaign for Bafana Bafana but they did enough to get over the line to reach their first World Cup finals since they hosted in 2010.
Since that qualification, South Africa have played eight times and won four of those matches. Six came against African opposition, with their last two coming against Panama and neither ending in a victory. It could be a tough summer for South Africa but the expansion to 48 teams could give them a chance to progress to the knockout stages for the first time in their history.
Mexico team news
Javier Aguirre has now named his squad for the World Cup. Fulham’s Raul Jimenez will almost certainly feature, while Santiago Giménez is known to Italian viewers after signing for AC Milan 18 months ago.
Much of Mexico’s squad is likely to be made up of players from their domestic league, Liga MX.
Although they might not be instantly recognisable to some football fans, there is plenty of quality available to Aguirre. One player to keep your eyes open for is 20-year-old Obed Vargas, who signed for Atletico Madrid earlier this year and could make a big impact if included in the final squad.
South Africa team news
Hugo Broos has named a squad with several South African Premiership players included. Lyle Foster, of Burnley, is the highest profile name but there is EFL interest in the form of Portsmouth’s Luke Le Roux and QPR’s Tylon Smith, both of whom were named in the squad for the recent friendlies against Panama.
Goals look like they could be an issue for Bafana Bafana with Themba Zwane being their top scorer. He has just 12 goals in 53 caps and Foster being just behind with 10 in 26. No other player used by Broos has scored more than nine goals for their country and the lack of a reliable goalscorer could prove to be pivotal this summer.
Head-to-Head: Last 2 Meetings
These two nations have only met twice in their history, with Mexico failing to pick up a victory in either of those games. They haven’t met since World Cup 2010, in what was also the opening match of that tournament, with that contest ending in a 1-1 draw. Their only other meeting saw South Africa run out 2-1 winners at the 2005 Gold Cup.
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 11/06/10 | South Africa 1-1 Mexico | World Cup |
| 09/07/05 | South Africa 2-1 Mexico | Gold Cup |
Who can set the tone for the tournament?
The opening match of the 2026 World Cup is an interesting one, with neither team being among the favourites to lift the famous trophy, and the eyes of the world will be on who will gain the first points of the tournament. We’re confident that Mexico will get off to a good start and there is plenty of value in backing them on the handicap market with Mexico -1 priced at 6/4 with BOYLE Sports.
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