Mexico and South Africa will kick off the 2026 World Cup with a match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday, June 11. The historic match will see the stadium become the first venue to ever host three World Cups.

SportsLine's Martin Green reveals his South Africa vs. Mexico best bets for the World Cup 2026 opener on Thursday

At the 2010 FIFA World Cup – the first on African soil – hosts South Africa faced Mexico in the tournament’s opening match, playing out a 1-1 draw. On Thursday, the teams meet again at the same stage.

After the Ravens wrapped up their minicamp Wednesday, Lamar Jackson expressed excitement over the future of the new offense under coordinator Declan Doyle. "I feel like there's going to be a lot of explosiveness this year,

Following the opening match of the World Cup, the pressure will already be on South Korea and Czechia. Not only will they follow up after Mexico and South Africa have kicked off the tournament, but they'll also have the unique scenario of knowing that one win could be all that a team needs to reach the knockout stage of the tournament.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is less than 24 hours away from officially getting underway. The opening ceremony will take place at the legendary Estadio Azteca before Mexico faces South Africa in the tournament opener.

Davion Thompson, a 6-foot-1 guard ranked No. 27 in the ESPN 100 for the 2027 class, has committed to coach John Calipari and Arkansas over a final group that included Baylor, Michigan and Vanderbilt.

The tournament kicks off on Thursday as co-hosts Mexico face South Africa in a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener