Mexico City, where the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday, June 11. The match kicks off at 10:00 PM Saudi and Egypt time, in a highly anticipated encounter broadcast on FOX Sports, Telemundo, and NBC Universo, as global audiences eagerly await the historic start of the tournament.
Kick-off Time for Mexico vs South Africa Across Arab Countries
The Mexico vs South Africa clash, opening the 2026 World Cup, will be held on Thursday, June 11, kicking off at 10:00 PM in Cairo and Riyadh, marking the start of the biggest edition of the tournament.
- Saudi Arabia & Egypt: 10:00 PM
- UAE: 11:00 PM
- Sudan & Libya: 9:00 PM
- Morocco, Tunisia & Algeria: 8:00 PM
- GMT: 7:00 PM
?How to Watch Mexico vs South Africa Live
The match will be broadcast live on several international networks covering the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including:
- FOX Sports
- Telemundo
- NBC Universo
- Official broadcasters holding World Cup rights in different countries
Watch the live broadcast of the Mexico vs South Africa match today in the opening of the 2026 World Cup
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Predicted Lineups
Mexico National Team
- Goalkeeper: Guillermo Ochoa
- Defenders: Jorge Sánchez – César Montes – Johan Vásquez – Jesús Gallardo
- Midfielders: Edson Álvarez – Luis Chávez – Orbelín Pineda
- Forwards: Julián Quiñones – Santiago Giménez – Raúl Jiménez
South Africa National Team
- Goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams
- Defenders: Khuliso Mudau – Grant Kekana – Siyabonga Ngezana – Aubrey Modiba
- Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena – Themba Zwane – Sphephelo Sithole
- Forwards: Percy Tau – Lyle Foster – Evidence Makgopa
Key Players to Watch in Mexico vs South Africa
The match features several standout players capable of making the difference, including:
- Santiago Giménez
- Edson Álvarez
- Raúl Jiménez
- Percy Tau
- Lyle Foster
- Ronwen Williams
Mexico Group in the 2026 World Cup
Mexico are placed in Group A alongside:
- South Africa
- Switzerland
- Czech Republic
This is considered a balanced group with strong competition for qualification to the next round.
Why This Match Is Important
This match marks the historic opening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mexico will look to start strongly in front of their home fans, while South Africa aim to make a statement and begin their campaign with a positive result that could shape the group from the first round.
Match Prediction: Mexico vs South Africa
The game is expected to be highly competitive as both teams aim to secure their first three points of the tournament, with a slight advantage for Mexico due to home support and crowd factor.
Predicted score: Mexico 2–1 South Africa
FAQ – Mexico vs South Africa World Cup 2026 Opening Match
- When is Mexico vs South Africa match?
The match will be played on Thursday, June 11, 2026, as part of the World Cup opening fixtures.
- Which channels broadcast Mexico vs South Africa?
The match will be shown on FOX Sports, Telemundo, NBC Universo, and other official broadcasters.
- Have the two teams ever played a World Cup opener before?
Yes, they met in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, which ended in a 1–1 draw.
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