Mexico and South Korea gave the expanded World Cup a fast, messy, and memorable start. The first day produced goals, red cards, and a clear warning that this tournament will not follow a tidy script.

Mexico set the tone in Mexico City

The tournament began at the Estadio Azteca with a loud home crowd and a match that quickly turned chaotic. Mexico faced South Africa in the opener, and the hosts grabbed control early when Erik Lira won the ball high and Julián Quiñones finished through Ronwen Williams’ legs for the first goal of the tournament.

Mexico’s second goal carried more emotion. Raúl Jiménez, whose career was derailed by a severe head injury in 2020, headed in to score his first World Cup goal and was visibly overcome afterward. The moment gave the home fans a lift, but the match will be remembered just as much for the discipline problems as for the scoring.

Three red cards were shown, which made the opener one of the wildest starts in World Cup history. South Africa lost Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane, while Mexico’s César Montes was sent off late. All three will miss the next group match.

Key moments from the opener

• Julián Quiñones scored the first goal of the 2026 tournament in the ninth minute.
• Raúl Jiménez added Mexico’s second and celebrated with visible emotion.
• Wilton Sampaio issued three red cards, a rare total for a World Cup opening match.
• Mexico earned its first-ever win in a World Cup opener.

For Mexico, the result mattered beyond the scoreline. It was a clean-sheet win, their first victory in a World Cup opening match, and a strong statement from a team that had often stumbled on this stage. Javier Aguirre also gave a major role to 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, whose composure stood out in a match full of tension.

South Korea answered with composure

If Mexico’s match was defined by noise, South Korea’s was defined by patience. In Guadalajara, South Korea came from behind to beat Czechia 2-1 after a slow first half that left both sides under pressure from the crowd.

Czechia struck first through captain Ladislav Krejčí, who finished from a long throw in the 59th minute. South Korea responded eight minutes later with the goal of the night. Lee Kang-in found Hwang In-beom, who slipped past defenders and placed a calm finish into the corner after a 25-pass build-up.

The drama continued late. Tomáš Souček had a header ruled out for offside after review, and South Korea punished that escape almost immediately. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu, who later said a fever nearly kept him out of the match, scored the winner from Hwang’s low cross. Kim Seung-gyu then preserved the lead with a late save.

What the results mean for Group A

Mexico and South Korea finished the day level on three points, with Mexico first on goal difference. South Africa and Czechia now face early pressure, and both teams must deal with suspensions or lineup changes before their next matches.

For Canada, the opening day served as a preview of the scale and pace of the tournament. The national team is next, and the first men’s World Cup match on Canadian soil will bring even more attention to a competition that already feels unpredictable.

• Group A is already tight at the top.
• Discipline and squad depth will matter immediately.
• Canada enters with the benefit of watching the tone-setters first.

The first day delivered everything an expanded World Cup promised: tension, comeback quality, emotional moments, and enough chaos to suggest there will be very little margin for error. Canada now gets its turn, and after this start, the stakes feel even higher.