The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on Thursday evening, marking the start of the first edition of the tournament to be hosted across three countries — the United States, Mexico and Canada — with Mexico meeting South Africa in the opening match at the iconic Azteca Stadium.
Running from 11 June to 19 July, the expanded competition will feature Group A teams Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic, with the tournament opener already drawing attention due to a series of statistical milestones and historical references.
Opening match carries historical weight
The fixture between Mexico and South Africa brings together two nations with previous World Cup history, including a memorable meeting at the 2010 tournament when they drew 1-1 in South Africa during the opening match of that competition.
Mexico, meanwhile, enter history once again as the first nation to host the World Cup on three separate occasions, following previous tournaments in 1970 and 1986. The 2026 edition also marks their 18th appearance at the finals, making them one of the most experienced teams in World Cup history.
Despite their long-standing presence on football’s biggest stage and the strong backing of their supporters, Mexico are still searching for a first-ever appearance in the quarter-finals since last hosting the tournament four decades ago.
Strong form and coaching stability
Head coach Javier Aguirre is currently in his third spell in charge of the national team and leads a side that has shown encouraging form heading into the tournament.
Mexico are unbeaten in their last eight matches this year and will take confidence from their recent record in World Cup opening games. The team has avoided defeat in their last seven tournament openers, winning five of those fixtures.
However, history also adds pressure. With the exception of Qatar in the previous edition, host nations have traditionally avoided defeat in their opening World Cup match, a trend Mexico will aim to maintain.
Players chasing historic milestones
Individual milestones are also expected to feature prominently on opening night. One of the most closely watched figures is veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who could become the first player in football history to appear in six World Cups.
Ochoa’s participation is not yet confirmed, as his place in the starting lineup remains uncertain. However, if selected, he would surpass global icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who are both set to feature in their sixth World Cup.
Another record of interest involves Gilberto Moura, who is the youngest player in the 2026 tournament. If he takes part in the match, he would become the sixth youngest player in World Cup history at 17 years and 240 days old, behind legendary names such as Pelé, Samuel Eto’o and Norman Whiteside, who remains the youngest-ever World Cup player at 17 years and 41 days.
Coaching records set to fall
The opening stage of the tournament will also see a rare sequence of coaching records being broken within a short period.
South Africa’s Hugo Broos, aged 74, is expected to become the oldest coach ever to lead a World Cup match when his side faces Mexico. However, his record may last only hours, as Czech Republic coach Miroslav Koubek, who is seven months older, is scheduled to take charge in a subsequent fixture.
The record is then set to be broken again when Curaçao coach Dick Advocaat, aged 78, leads his team against Germany on Sunday, setting a new benchmark for the oldest coach in World Cup history.
South Africa return after long absence
South Africa’s participation in 2026 marks their return to the World Cup after a 16-year absence. The team previously competed in 1998, 2002 and 2010, but have never progressed beyond the group stage, despite registering one win across their last two appearances.
As the tournament begins, attention will be split between the historic significance of the opener, the potential for multiple records to fall, and the broader ambitions of two teams aiming to start their World Cup campaign on a strong note.
