Mexico is hoping a relatively young roster without a lot of top-tier club experience can surprise during the World Cup that kicks off Thursday in Mexico City.
Mexico is hoping a relatively young roster without a lot of top-tier club experience can surprise during the World Cup that kicks off Thursday in Mexico City.
Mexico opens the 2026 World Cup at Azteca Stadium against South Africa, carrying home-soil expectations. El Tri will have an edge competing at high altitude and with the support of home fans, but Mexico is winless in World Cup openers. Coach Javier Aguirre’s revamped squad rides an eight-game unbeaten streak, but it lacks proven finishers and will lean on young players.
The match at the venue known as Mexico City Stadium during the World Cup will kick off at noon PDT and air on Fox and Telemundo. Once the ball starts rolling, the stadium’s altitude — 7,216 feet above sea level — will be one of the biggest assets for the Mexican lineup led by coachIt will be Mexico’s eighth opening match in a World Cup, and El Tri carries a historical burden.
It has never won a tournament opener, with a record of 0-5-2, including aAguirre will likely deploy the 4-3-3 formation he used during Mexico’s final warm-up match against Serbia.
“We’re ready; we’ve been working for 22 months,” said Aguirre, 67, who took the reins of the national team on Aug. 1, 2024, following Jaime Lozano’s failure at that year’s Copa América, when Mexico was knocked out in the group stage. Since his arrival, Aguirre has led the team to its first Concacaf Nations League title and the Gold Cup.
Mexico enters the tournament on an eight-game unbeaten streak, though several of those results came against lower tier opponents and at home. The two most encouraging highlights of that streak were the draws against Belgium and Portugal.
“If my teams are known for anything, it’s for their character,” Aguirre said. “My team is just like me. ”, is considered by many to be the ideal experienced goalkeeper to use during the opener, when nerves are sure to be high.
However, Raúl Rangel has been the starting goalkeeper during Mexico’s past three warm-up matches, playing the full 90 minutes each time. Rangel, who was 10 years old when Mexico tied South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup and who fondly remembers El Tri’s victory over France that tournament, is confident between the posts.
“We’re in great shape; we proved it against Portugal and Belgium, two teams that are among the world’s elite,” said Rangel, who noted that Ochoa has instilled a sense of calm in the team. “I do believe we can be champions. We have to start keeping that in mind and believe that it’s possible. Not everyone can boast that they played in a World Cup on home soil.
” The Mexican team’s lack of elite club experience, however, is obvious and could be a problem. El Tri has few players in top-tier leagues and lacks game-changers on the wings, as Diego Lainez, Uriel Antuna and Hirving Lozano were left off the final roster. Offensive output is a cause for concern. In tight matches, goals have come mainly from defenders, with César Montes and Johan Vásquez being the primary threats on set pieces.
The commitment to youth appears to be a key factor in Aguirre’s approach to building the roster. Mexican American Brian Gutiérrez brings freshness and dynamism to the midfield, alongside Erik Lira’s energy. As an option off the bench, Aguirre could turn to 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, the youngest player in the tournament, who is sure to draw cheers from the crowd.
For his part, South Africa’s 74-year-old head coach, Hugo Broos, knows the Azteca Stadium well, having marked Maradona during the 1986 World Cup semifinals. To acclimate his players to the altitude, he held training camp in Pachuca, at an elevation of 7,979 feet.
“This game is special. I’ve played in European championships, but there’s nothing like a World Cup. And we’re going to play at the Azteca Stadium — it’s incredible that this is going to happen,” Broos said. South Africa coach Hugo Broo talks with Nigeria’s players during a World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Sept. 9.
“They’re a very well-rounded team, with great mobility and teamwork,” Broos said of El Tri. “You can tell they want to be world champions. ” South Africa will pose a real threat with Mbekezeli Mokoena driving the midfield and the speed of Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng on the wings. The team’s main weakness lies in finishing, as Lyle Foster is their only striker, and if he doesn’t perform well, the South African side will suffer.
“We can’t say we don’t have a chance against Mexico, because that’s not true,” said Broos about his team, which is ranked 60th in FIFA rankings and will tangle with a Mexican squad ranked No. 14. Mexican midfielder Edson Álvarez is heading to his third World Cup after overcoming an injury and criticism. Can he lead El Tri on a deep tournament run?
Pregame entertainment will kick off at 10:30 a.m. PDT with performances by Shakira, Burna Boy, Maná, J Balvin, and Alejandro Fernández. As a new ceremonial feature, all 26 players from each team — starters and substitutes — will participate in the ceremony by lining up around the tournament’s central emblem on the field, rather than in the traditional pregame formation. The match is expected to be played in the rain.
Protests are expected around the stadium throughout the day, including demonstrations by the teachers’ union and groups representing the families of missing persons. Eduard Cauich, a native of Yucatán, Mexico, holds a journalism degree and a master’s in mass communications from Cal State Northridge. He specializes in sports and coverage of the Latino communities. His career includes roles at Univision New Mexico, Major League Soccer, HOY Los Ángeles, Azteca América, and La Opinión.
Eduard Cauich, originario de Yucatán, México, es graduado en Periodismo y tiene un máster en Comunicación de la Universidad Estatal de California en Northridge. Está especializado en deportes y en la cobertura de las comunidades latinas. A lo largo de su carrera ha trabajado en Univision Nuevo México, Major League Soccer, HOY Los Ángeles, Azteca América y La Opinión.
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