Who will open the first match of the 2026 World Cup?

The Mexican national team is preparing to make history during its participation in the 2026 World Cup this year, which it co-hosts with the United States and Canada.

Mexico will play the opening match of the 2026 World Cup against the South African national team on June 11 next at the famous Azteca Stadium.

Mexico and the World Cup opening match

Mexico holds a record as the team that has played the most World Cup openers, with seven times, which will increase to eight next month.

The first nine editions from 1930 to 1962 often saw more than one opening match held at the same time, and there was no single standalone opener.

Among the most famous World Cup opening matches played by the Mexican national team is the opening match of the 1970 edition against the Soviet Union, on home soil at the same stadium that will host the opening of the 2026 World Cup, but it ended in a goalless draw.

Mexico then missed out on World Cup openers until it appeared in the 2010 South Africa edition and also drew 1-1 with Bafana Bafana.

That match will be repeated in the 2026 edition, as the Mexican national team hopes to break its curse with opening matches.

Mexico has played the opener 7 times and has not achieved any victory, suffered 5 defeats, and drew twice, scoring only 2 goals and conceding 19, including the first goal in the history of World Cup tournaments by Frenchman Lucien Laurent.

Mexico's history in World Cup openers

1930 - Loss 1-4 to France

1950 - Loss 0-4 to Brazil

1954 - Loss 0-5 to Brazil

1958 - Loss 0-3 to Sweden

1962 - Loss 0-2 to Brazil

1970 - Draw 0-0 with the Soviet Union

2010 - Draw 1-1 with South Africa