Mexico open World Cup 2026 against South Africa at Estadio Azteca on 11 June

Mexico will host the opening match of the 2026 World Cup on 11 June at 21:00 when El Tri face South Africa at Estadio Azteca—the third time Mexico City stages a tournament opener. City officials outlined fan zones along Paseo de la Reforma with capacity limits and clear bag policies.

South Africa’s association said it would base near altitude-adjusted training sites before the opener, mindful of Mexico City’s elevation. Bafana Bafana supporters are coordinating with CONCACAF hospitality partners after FIFA confirmed the kick-off slot.

Economists expect the opener to set tourism tone for the entire tri-host month: hotels in CDMX report near-full blocks for the second week of June. Security agencies published drone and road-closure maps weeks ahead of the fixture.

WOP360’s complete programme lists all 104 matches with group tables and knockout times—available in 27 languages for every country desk. Fans should confirm kick-offs on FIFA.com; our schedule article links to the official scores and fixtures page.