A frantic opener in Mexico City and a sharp South Korean turnaround in Guadalajara set the tone for the expanded tournament, with Canada still waiting for its first touch.
The 2026 World Cup opened with the kind of volatility that can define a long tournament. Two Group A matches began a 39-day, 104-game event across Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and both contests quickly showed how hard it may be to predict anything in a 48-team field. For Canadian supporters, the first day offered both entertainment and a preview of the competition their team is about to face.
A wild start in Mexico City
The tournament began at Estadio Azteca in front of more than 80,000 fans, with the ceremony aided by Shakira and the band Maná. Mexico’s meeting with South Africa then turned into an opening match that mixed early goals, high tension, and a flood of disciplinary decisions.
Mexico struck first in the ninth minute after Erik Lira pressured a South African defender into a mistake. Julián Quiñones finished calmly, sliding the ball through Ronwen Williams’ legs to record the first goal of the tournament. Later, Raúl Jiménez delivered the emotional moment of the night, heading in his first World Cup goal after recovering from the severe skull injury he suffered in 2020 while playing for Wolverhampton. He left the field in tears after scoring.
The bigger talking point was the referee’s card count. Wilton Sampaio sent off three players, the most ever in a World Cup opener and the first match in 20 years to feature three red cards. South Africa lost Sphephelo Sithole in the first half and Themba Zwane after a video review of an incident involving Roberto Alvarado. Mexico’s César Montes was then dismissed late for stopping a South African break. Each player will miss the next group match.
The result also mattered for Mexico’s history. Javier Aguirre’s team finally won its first World Cup opener after going without a victory in its previous seven opening matches, and the clean sheet made the performance feel even more complete. Teenager Gilberto Mora, just 17, also played a major role and added another sign that Mexico may have found a new centerpiece for the future.
South Korea answer with composure
Later in Guadalajara, the tone shifted from chaos to resilience. South Korea fell behind Czechia before recovering to win 2-1 at Estadio Akron, a result that strengthened the sense that the Asians could be more than a nuisance in this tournament.
The first half drew boos from the crowd, and the match needed a spark. Czechia provided the opening goal when captain Ladislav Krejčí rose to meet a long throw in the 59th minute, a familiar weapon for a side that had relied heavily on set pieces during qualifying. South Korea responded with the best move of the day. Lee Kang-in found Hwang In-beom, who used a clever feint to freeze two defenders and the goalkeeper before placing his shot into the corner. The sequence included 25 passes, making it one of the longest build-ups ever seen before a World Cup goal.
Three minutes after an offside decision erased a Czech equalizer, South Korea delivered the winner. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu, who later said a 38-degree fever had made him unsure he could play, finished a low cross from Hwang. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu then preserved the lead with a late diving save.
South Korea finished with 15 shots to Czechia’s eight and looked organized, dangerous, and calm under pressure. Captain Son Heung-min also reached another personal milestone, becoming one of only two players to appear in four World Cups for South Korea, alongside head coach Hong Myung-bo.
What the opening results mean for Group A
Mexico and South Korea sit level on three points, with the hosts ahead only on goal difference. South Africa and Czechia both leave opening day with work to do, along with the possibility of lineup changes and suspension concerns before their next matches.
| Team | Opening Result | Main Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 2-0 win over South Africa | Strong start, historic opener win, and a standout showing from youth and experience |
| South Korea | 2-1 win over Czechia | Controlled comeback, late winner, and a sign of dark-horse potential |
| South Africa | 2-0 loss to Mexico | Discipline problems and two suspensions to manage |
| Czechia | 2-1 loss to South Korea | Set-piece threat was not enough, and a disallowed goal changed the night |
- Mexico earned its first-ever World Cup opening victory.
- Three red cards made the match in Mexico City unusually volatile.
- South Korea showed the balance and patience of a team built for knockout-stage troublemaking.
- Canada now enters a tournament atmosphere already shaped by pressure, goals, and controversy.
For Canada, the timing could hardly be more helpful. The men’s team begins its campaign on Friday at a sold-out BMO Field in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the first men’s World Cup match ever played on Canadian soil. Jesse Marsch’s squad is grouped with Bosnia, Qatar, and Switzerland, then moves to BC Place in Vancouver for its remaining group games.
After a first day that featured a red-card storm, an emotional comeback story, and a winning goal from a substitute battling illness, the enlarged World Cup has already shown its range. Canada steps in next, carrying the weight of a home crowd and the promise of a tournament that already feels unpredictable.
