Mexico vs – Mexico host South Africa in the opening game of the 2026 men’s World Cup at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday, June 11 (3pm ET). The match is on Telemundo and streams on Peacock en Espanol, with Raul Jimenez leading Mexico and Oswin Appollis starring f
At 3pm ET on Thursday, June 11, Estadio Azteca in Mexico City will be buzzing before kickoff—and then the real pressure starts. Mexico face South Africa in the opening game of the 2026 men’s World Cup, with Javier Aguirre’s side under a simple demand from home fans: make it count early.
Mexico’s recent warm-up friendlies have looked sharp, but the tournament doesn’t forgive slow starts. The expectation, openly voiced around this matchup, is that El Tri should win big. It also comes with history: Mexico haven’t had a great few years. yet the sense in camp is that everything has been building toward this first World Cup test on home soil.
South Africa arrive at their first World Cup since 2010, when they were hosts. In Group A, they’re widely treated as the underdogs. Still, the team’s qualifying run left a clear message: they can be well-organized and dangerous when the moment opens up on the counter attack.
The match is set for Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico. For viewers in the United States, Telemundo has the TV coverage. The game can be streamed live on Peacock, en Espanol.
Raul Jimenez is set to lead Mexico’s attack. with midfield anchor Edson Alvarez expected to be central to the defensive structure. Aguirre’s plans also include a spotlight on younger options—Brian Gutierrez and Gilberto Mora—to help keep the balance when Mexico push forward. Up top. Alexis Vega. Julian Quinones and Orbelin Pineda are tasked with creating the chances Jimenez needs. while Santiago Gimenez is also expected to get plenty of minutes.
For South Africa, the standout figure is winger Oswin Appollis from Orlando Pirates. He’s described as a constant threat—full of tricks. eager to cut inside. and capable of turning a moment into chaos. In recent form for South Africa, Appollis has scored nine goals in his last 16 games. Burnley’s Lyle Foster is also expected to play a key role up front.
South Africa’s squad is tight-knit. Of their 26-man group, 19 players feature in their domestic league, including 15 who play for either Orlando Pirates or Mamelodi Sundowns. That kind of continuity matters in tournament football, especially when the plan depends on timing—particularly on the counter.
Opening games often decide the tone of a tournament, and this one has the ingredients for a tense start. Mexico are at home, and their preparation has looked better in recent friendlies. South Africa. though. don’t need to dominate to hurt teams—they just need the right spaces. and they proved in qualifying they can get them.
A Mexico win is the prevailing expectation, with a 2-1 prediction for Mexico over South Africa.
Mexico vs South Africa 2026 men’s World Cup Estadio Azteca Telemundo Peacock en Espanol Raul Jimenez Edson Alvarez Oswin Appollis