Mexico vs South Africa: The World Cup Opener Set to Repeat 16 Years Later

Football is full of surprises, but few are as remarkable as the story that will unfold at the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Sixteen years after facing each other in the opening game of South Africa 2010, Mexico and South Africa will once again kick off the world's football tournament.

Football is full of surprises, but few are as remarkable as the story that will unfold at the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Sixteen years after facing each other in the opening game of South Africa 2010, Mexico and South Africa will once again kick off the world's biggest football tournament.

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Mexico vs South Africa: A Unique World Cup Story

Despite more than 20 FIFA World Cups having been played, the exact same opening match has never been repeated in different editions of the tournament.

That will change when Mexico and South Africa take the field at Mexico City Stadium on June 11.

The first meeting came at South Africa 2010, the first FIFA World Cup ever hosted by an African nation.

On June 11, 2010, at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa and Mexico played to a memorable 1-1 draw. Siphiwe Tshabalala scored for the hosts before Rafael Márquez equalized for El Tri.

Mexico's Long Wait for an Opening-Match Victory

The rematch also revives another interesting World Cup storyline.

Mexico has appeared in more opening matches than any other nation without recording a victory.

Part of the reason lies in the tournament's changing formats. Between 1930 and 1970, multiple matches were often played simultaneously on opening day. Later, the defending champion traditionally opened the tournament, and since Germany 2006, the host nation has played in the first match.

Mexico's record in World Cup openers stands as follows:

Uruguay 1930: France 4-1 Mexico
Brazil 1950: Brazil 4-0 Mexico
Switzerland 1954: Brazil 5-0 Mexico
Sweden 1958: Sweden 3-0 Mexico
Chile 1962: Brazil 2-0 Mexico
Mexico 1970: Mexico 0-0 Soviet Union
South Africa 2010: South Africa 1-1 Mexico

Now, in their eighth World Cup opener, El Tri will be searching for their first-ever opening-match victory.

Shakira: Another Link Between 2010 and 2026

Mexico and South Africa are not the only connection between the two tournaments.

Colombian superstar Shakira also provides a fascinating link.

In 2010, she became one of the faces of the World Cup thanks to "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)," the tournament's official song and one of the most successful World Cup anthems ever.

For 2026, Shakira has already shared images related to World Cup preparations and has been confirmed as part of the first-ever halftime show during a FIFA World Cup Final.