The wait is over. Do you know where to watch the Mexico vs. South Africa match on TV? This Thursday, June 11, El Tri hosts South Africa at the colossus of Santa Úrsula —the historic Azteca Stadium, renamed by FIFA as the Mexico City Stadium for this tournament—in the match that kicks off the 2026 World Cup.
The match carries an irresistible nod to the past: these same teams opened the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg, that 1-1 draw in which Siphiwe Tshabalala put the Africans ahead and Rafael Márquez—now an assistant to Javier Aguirre—scored the equalizer. Vasco himself, by the way, was also coaching Mexico that afternoon. Sixteen years later, the roles are reversed, and it is the Tricolor that is the host.
The match opens Matchday 1 of Group A, which also features South Korea and the Czech Republic. As it is the opening game, neither team has a track record in the group stage, but both show signs of their form: Mexico wrapped up its preparations with a narrow win over Australia and a final warm-up against Serbia in Toluca, bolstered by a defense that has kept a clean sheet in six of its last eight matches. South Africa, back in the World Cup after sixteen years, secured its spot with a 3-0 win over Rwanda and arrives with the momentum of Lyle Foster, who scored in the recent 1-1 draw against Jamaica.
On the injury front, Belgian coach Hugo Broos is monitoring the recovery of fullback Aubrey Modiba, his main fitness concern, and has already lost wingers Thapelo Morena and Mohau Nkota, who are out of the squad due to injury. Mexico isn’t at full strength either: Aguirre has lost goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón and midfielder Marcel Ruiz to injury for the tournament, though his starting lineup remains available.
What time is the Mexico vs. South Africa game, and where can you watch it on TV?
The match will be played on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Central Mexico Time, right after the opening ceremony, which begins at 11:30 a.m. El Tri’s debut will be broadcast live and free on broadcast TV on Canal 5 (Televisa) and Azteca 7 (TV Azteca). If you prefer streaming, ViX is the only platform offering all 104 tournament matches in Mexico via its Pase Mundial, perfect for keeping up with the rest of the teams. As a bonus, FIFA’s official YouTube channel will offer the first few minutes of the match for free.
The setting could not be more fitting: the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, with a capacity for more than 83,000 spectators following its renovation. It is the only venue on the planet that will host matches in three World Cups—1970, 1986, and 2026— and the only one to have hosted three World Cup opening matches. The very same pitch that witnessed Pelé’s crowning glory and Maradona’s magic. Few cathedrals of soccer command such awe.
Possible lineups
Mexico (4-3-3): Rangel; Jorge Sánchez, César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo; Érik Lira, Álvaro Fidalgo, Brian Gutiérrez; Roberto Alvarado, Raúl Jiménez, Julián Quiñones.
South Africa (4-3-3): Ronwen Williams; Khuliso Mudau, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Ime Okon, Aubrey Modiba; Teboho Mokoena, Yaya Sithole, Thalente Mbatha; Oswin Appollis, Lyle Foster, Tshepang Moremi.
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