Live updates: Mexico and South Africa face off in the first match of the World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway. Co-host Mexico opens the tournament against South Africa in Mexico City on Thursday, launching a month of soccer across North America. Follow along for live updates, highlights, analysis and scenes from the tournament’s opening day.What to know:How to watch: Fox is the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of the World Cup with all 104 matches in English on Fox, FS1 and the Fox One app. Telemundo and Universo will broadcast all of the matches in Spanish.Mexico is a heavy favorite against South Africa: El Tri will be led by veteran Raúl Jiménez and 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will be competing in the World Cup for a record sixth time. South Africa is playing in its fourth World Cup.The games in Mexico will be played at high elevation: The Azteca stadium in Mexico City is at roughly 7,300 feet, while Guadalajara sits at 5,138 feet, meaning visiting teams will have to make a significant adjustment to the altitude.

A look at Mexico

Mexico’s Gilberto Mora look son during a friendly soccer match between Mexico and Serbia in Toluca, Mexico, Thursday, June 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Hosting the World Cup for the first time in 40 years, Mexico will hope to rebound from a group-stage elimination four years ago in Qatar. Before that, it was eliminated in the round of 16 seven consecutive times between 1994 and 2018.The only times Mexico made it to the last eight was when it hosted the tournament, in 1970 and 1986.Much of the team’s hopes will rest on 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, who last year became the youngest ever to play for Mexico’s senior squad at 16.The team will be coached by veteran Javier Aguirre, who took over the squad in 2024 for his third stint with the national team.“I count myself lucky,” Aguirre, a former Mexico player, was quoted as saying by FIFA.com. “Every day I’m grateful to be here, doing what I’m doing, because I’m Mexican… and because the best moment in my coaching career is on the horizon. As a player, nothing could top playing at a home World Cup.”