The 2026 World Cup kicked off in dramatic circumstances with three controversial red cards being brandished in Mexico’s 2-0 win against South Africa on Thursday evening08:56, 12 Jun 2026Former FIFA and Premier League referee Keith Hackett has claimed that Themba Zwane should NOT have been sent off in South Africa’s defeat to Mexico.‌The two sides came together on Thursday evening in the World Cup’s curtain raiser in Mexico City. It could not have gone much worse for the African nation, with Julian Quinones giving the hosts the lead in the ninth minute. Yaya Sithole was then dismissed for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity, with Mexico taking advantage through Raul Jimenez, who scored his side’s second.‌Things then got even worse for South Africa, with Zwane also sent off for "serious foul play" against Roberto Alvarado, with the midfielder appearing to strike his opponent with his arm. He initially stayed on the pitch, only for the referee to change his mind following a VAR review.‌But Hackett reckons Zwane was hard done by, arguing that the incident did not meet the criteria for serious foul play. He told Football Insider: "Whilst the red card issued might be deemed to be 'soft', the South African player used his hand/arm in an illegal manner, opening up the VAR intervention.JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page"My view is that this red card did not meet the criteria for serious foul play. At most, the action was reckless, and a yellow card would have been appropriate."‌The red cards were not quite finished there. Mexico’s Cesar Montes was also given an early bath after being sent off in stoppage time.Hackett’s comments are not the first time that he has weighed in on the refereeing controversy at the World Cup. Somalian official Omar Artan was denied entry in the USA ahead of the tournament and speaking after that decision, Hackett claimed that FIFA should compensate the referee with the fee that he would have received.‌He said: "This appears to be so unfair, depriving a young referee of the opportunity to officiate at a World Cup. The pathway to the top is incredibly difficult, and this referee has developed a career that has seen him meet the challenges and rise to the elite level."I am sure that his family and federation will be so disappointed. Referees expected to earn in the region of $100,000 (£74,630). So, I hope that FIFA, who have failed in supporting his case, will make a discretionary payment of $100,000 to him and his family."FIFA will be hopeful of navigating away from more controversy as the World Cup continues on Friday. Group B gets underway with Canada’s clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the USA take on Paraguay in their Group D opener overnight.Article continues belowJoin our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.