The 2026 World Cup kicked off with an electrifying match at the Azteca Stadium, where co-hosts Mexico faced South Africa. The game ended with a 2-0 victory for Mexico, thanks to goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez. Quiñones opened the scoring just nine minutes into the match, taking advantage of a defensive mistake by South Africa's Yaya Sithole, who lost possession near his own box.

Jiménez, who has had a challenging journey back to form after a significant injury, doubled Mexico's lead in the 67th minute. He headed home a cross from Roberto Alvarado, marking a personal milestone as it was his first goal in a World Cup match. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, with fans celebrating the home team's strong start to the tournament. Jiménez put them to bed as he headed home Roberto Alvarado's cross at the back post for his first World Cup goal.

The match was not only notable for the scoreline but also for the disciplinary issues faced by South Africa. The team finished the match with nine players after two red cards were issued in the second half. This marked a significant moment in World Cup history, as South Africa became the first team to receive two red cards in a single World Cup match since the infamous clash between Portugal and the Netherlands in 2006.

Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh attributed South Africa's defeat to the immense pressure of performing on such a grand stage. The loss puts South Africa in a challenging position as they look to recover in their upcoming matches. The result made South Africa the first team to receive two red cards in a World Cup match since Portugal and the Netherlands each had two players dismissed in their infamous Round of 16 clash at the 2006 tournament in Germany.