Mexico vs South Africa: Preview, Team News, Possible Lineups, Time and Score Prediction

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off Thursday night, 10 PM EAT, as co-hosts Mexico welcome South Africa to the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City for their Group A opener.

This match marks the beginning of the newly expanded 48-team tournament, which will feature 104 games in total.

The fixture is a nostalgic reversal of the 2010 World Cup opener in Johannesburg, where a stunning Siphiwe Tshabalala strike was famously cancelled out by Rafael Marquez in a 1-1 draw.

Mexico makes history as the first nation to host the men's World Cup for a third time, having previously held the tournament in 1970 and 1986.

Now sharing hosting duties with the United States and Canada, El Tri is under immense pressure to perform on home soil.

Veteran coach Javier Aguirre, in his third stint with the national team, leads a squad determined to erase the memory of their disappointing group-stage exit at Qatar 2022, their first time failing to reach the knockout rounds since 1978. Ranked 14th in the world, Mexico qualified automatically as co-hosts and have built momentum this year.

After winning the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup, they experienced a slump, going winless in their final six friendlies of 2025. However, their form has since turned around.

In 2026, El Tri secured credible draws against European giants Portugal and Belgium before embarking on a three-game winning streak, culminating in a dominant 5-1 victory over Serbia last Friday.

With a sell-out crowd of 83,000 expected to roar them on, Mexico will be confident. They are unbeaten in their last seven World Cup opening matches, a run stretching back to 1994.

A win against South Africa would be a crucial first step toward topping a group that also includes South Korea and the Czech Republic.

South Africa, meanwhile, returns to the world stage for the first time since hosting the tournament 16 years ago, ending a long absence after failing to qualify for the 2014, 2018, and 2022 editions.

Bafana Bafana's path to the finals was dramatic. They secured their spot on the final day of CAF qualifying with a 3-0 win over Rwanda, which, combined with Nigeria's 4-0 victory over Benin, allowed them to clinch the top spot in their group. This was despite being docked three points earlier in the campaign for fielding an ineligible player.

Managed by Belgian Hugo Broos since 2021, South Africa enters the tournament ranked 60th in the world and are considered an underdog to advance from Group A.

Their recent form has been inconsistent; following their run to the Africa Cup of Nations last 16, they have gone four friendly matches without a win, including draws against Panama and Nicaragua.

In their final warm-up match, a behind-closed-doors friendly against Jamaica, initial reports of a 1-0 win were later corrected to a 1-1 draw.

Broos acknowledged his team's performance was subpar and promised a thorough review. On Thursday, they will be aiming for their first victory over Mexico since a 2-1 win at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Mexico's veteran goalkeeper, Guillermo Ochoa, is aiming to make history by competing in his sixth World Cup. However, the 40-year-old's place in the starting lineup is under threat from the in-form Raul Rangel ahead of Thursday's clash with South Africa.

In defence, captain Edson Alvarez is expected to earn his 99th cap, partnering with Cesar Montes at centre-back. A key decision for manager Javier Aguirre will be in midfield, where he must choose between 17-year-old prodigy Gilberto Mora and the more experienced duo of Orbelin Pineda and Luis Chavez.

Up front, departing Fulham striker Raul Jimenez is on the verge of a milestone. A single goal against South Africa would move him into a tie for second place on Mexico's all-time scoring list with Jared Borgetti at 46 goals.

Jimenez is likely to be flanked by Roberto Alvarado and Julian Quinones, who is coming off a sensational season after winning the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot with 33 goals in 31 games for Al-Qadsiah.

For South Africa, left-back Aubrey Modiba is expected to be available after recovering from a hamstring injury and returning to full training.

In central defence, Ime Okon and Mbekezeli Mbokazi are strong candidates to start. The midfield trio will likely consist of Teboho Mokoena, Thalente Mbatha, and Yaya Sithole, as manager Hugo Broos favours a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation that utilises the width provided by full-backs Khuliso Mudau and Modiba.

Orlando Pirates winger Oswin Appollis has been a key creative force for Bafana Bafana, contributing two goals and four assists in World Cup qualifying. He is expected to support Burnley striker Lyle Foster, who was on the scoresheet in the recent 1-1 draw against Jamaica.

Mexico: Ochoa; Sanchez, Montes, Alvarez, Gallardo; Gutierrez, Fidalgo, Pineda; Alvarado, Jimenez, Quinones

South Africa: Williams; Mudau, Mbokazi, Okon, Modiba; Mbatha, Sithole, Mokoena; Appollis, Foster, Moremi

Match Prediction: Mexico 1-2 South Africa

While Mexico boasts an impressive defensive record with six clean sheets in their last eight international matches, South Africa's attack should not be underestimated.

Bafana Bafana have scored in nine of their last 11 games, and both teams have found the net in five of their last six fixtures.

However, Broos often employs a pragmatic, counter-attacking style against stronger teams. Maintaining concentration in the famously intense atmosphere of the Azteca Stadium will be a significant challenge for the visitors.