The 2026 World Cup is under way. Hosts Mexico opened with a 2-0 win over South Africa at the Estadio Azteca on 11 June in a match that produced three red cards, Shakira and Burna Boy headlined the opening ceremony, and today, 12 June, the United States face Paraguay at SoFi Stadium while Canada meet Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto. Five verified stories.
Hosts Mexico began the 2026 World Cup with a 2-0 victory over South Africa at the Estadio Azteca on 11 June. Julian Quinones opened the scoring inside the first ten minutes and Raul Jimenez added the second, sending a home crowd of more than 80,000 into celebration. Javier Aguirre's side controlled the Group A opener from start to finish.
The opening match was marked as much by its discipline as by its goals. Referees showed three red cards, two to South Africa and a late one to Mexico, meaning the Azteca opener produced more sendings off than the two goals scored. The result left the tournament's first game among the most ill-tempered World Cup openers on record.
The opening ceremony filled the Estadio Azteca before kickoff, headlined by Shakira and Burna Boy performing the tournament song Dai Dai. Lila Downs opened the show with an indigenous ritual delivered in Spanish, English and Mixtec, Alejandro Fernandez sang the Mexican anthem in a mariachi suit, and Andrea Bocelli with EJAE premiered the official FIFA anthem DNA. J Balvin, Belinda, Tyla, Mana, Danny Ocean and Los Angeles Azules also performed.
The first day's programme finished with South Korea against Czechia at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, the second of the two Group A fixtures staged on 11 June. The match added a European versus Asian contest to a busy opening day that had begun with the host nation's win at the Azteca.
The two North American co-hosts debut on 12 June. Canada, in Group B, face Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto (3 p.m. ET), while the United States, coached by Mauricio Pochettino, open Group D against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (9 p.m. ET). Both matches air on Fox and Telemundo.