The 2026 World Cup opening match is here — set to kick off a summer of soccer in North America. Mexico vs. South Africa meet in a Group A match at the World Cup 2026 on Thursday, June 11, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET.
This matchup gives both teams a chance to shape the Group A standings on opening day, with Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and Czechia all competing for a spot in the knockout stage.
Current Group A forecasting places Mexico at the top, with South Africa in last. Mexico enters as the implied favorite to win the group on PrizePicks Team Picks, with a 1.61x payout, while South Africa has a 55% implied chance to finish at the bottom of the group.
Below, we’ll give you a full Mexico vs. South Africa preview for today’s World Cup match, including how to watch, what’s at stake in the group, projected lineups, and key players to know.
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World Cup 2026: How to Watch Mexico vs. South Africa
Match: Mexico vs. South Africa
Favorite: Mexico – 1.36x payout via PrizePicks Team Picks
Spread: Mexico -1.5 – 2.27x via PrizePicks Team Picks
Group: Group A
Date: Thursday, June 11
Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. ET
Stadium: Estadio Azteca
City: Mexico City, Mexico
How to Watch: English – FOX, FOX One; Spanish – Telemundo, Peacock
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Mexico vs. South Africa Group A Preview
This World Cup opening match pits the favorite in Group A — Mexico — vs. the favorite to finish last in the group — South Africa.
Mexico opens the tournament on home soil in the newly-renovated Estadio Azteca as one of three host nations. South Africa will look to get an upset in their first World Cup appearance since 2010; however, in this matchup vs. the group favorite, RSA would surely be happy to walk away with a point via draw.
Three points would be a strong start for Mexico, which enters as the pre-tournament favorite to win Group A. El Tri will have a week off before their Matchday 2 clash against South Korea, also set to be played in Mexico.
How Mexico Can Win vs. South Africa
Mexico to Win Payout via PrizePicks: 1.36x ($100 pays $136)
Mexico Best Players to Watch: Johan Vasquez, Brian Gutierrez, and Gilberto Mora
Mexico enters as a significant favorite vs. South Africa after an impressive run of form heading into the tournament. El Tri are unbeaten in their last eight matches, capping that run with a 5-1 win over Serbia in their final pre-tournament friendly.
The strength of this team is their defense. Across their eight International Friendlies in 2026, El Tri has surrendered only two goals — one to Belgium, another to Serbia. They held Bolivia, Iceland, Portugal, Panama, Ghana, and Australia scoreless in this stretch — the latter four all being World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
The key for Mexico will be breaking through South Africa's high press and getting the ball to their playmakers in space. Mexico has quality attackers capable of doing damage in one-on-one situations if they can move the ball quickly up the pitch.
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How South Africa Can Win vs. Mexico
South Africa to Win Payout via PrizePicks: 7.14x ($100 pays $714)
South Africa Best Players to Watch: Ronwen Williams, Oswin Appollis, and Lyle Foster
South Africa's path to a result vs. Mexico won't be easy, but it isn't impossible. Mexico also tends to press high and relies on its midfield to cover space quickly, with a backline that has been solid in recent months.
If Bafana Bafana can maintain possession and string passes together, they could catch Mexico's defenders out of position and create genuine chances.
With Mexico conceding just two goals during that eight-game run, South Africa may be best served sitting deep and playing on the counter, especially if they somehow manage to score first.
However, South Africa is seen as unlikely to score in this match — under 2.5 total goals is the favorite on PrizePicks Team Picks, while the both teams to score market has a 1.51x payout ($151 payout on $100 entry).
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Mexico vs. South Africa Lineups for World Cup Opener Today
Here are the projected Mexico vs. South Africa lineups for today's World Cup Group A match. Lineups are not official and are based on historical data.
Mexico Lineup vs. South Africa
Projected Formation: 4-3-3
- Goalkeeper: Raúl Rangel
- Defense: Jorge Sánchez (LB), César Montes (CB), Johan Vásquez (CB), & Jesús Gallardo (RB)
- Midfield: Álvaro Fidalgo (CM), Érik Lira (CM), & Brian Gutiérrez (CM)
- Forwards: Roberto Alvarado (LW), Raúl Jiménez (ST), & Julián Quiñones (RW)
South Africa Lineup vs. Mexico
Projected Formation: 4-3-2-1
- Goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams
- Defense: Aubrey Modiba (LB), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (CB), Ime Okon (CB), & Khuliso Mudau (RB)
- Midfield: Jayden Adams (CM) & Teboho Mokoena (CM)
- Forwards: Oswin Appollis (LW), Relebohile Mofokeng (AM), Tshepang Moremi (RW), & Lyle Foster (ST)
Key Players to Know for Mexico vs. South Africa
Here are the key players to watch for both sides when they open the tournament on Thursday afternoon.
Mexico Player to Know: CB Johan Vásquez
Johan Vásquez Projections vs. South Africa via PrizePicks: 3.5 Clearances, 0.5 Shot on Target, 8.5 Fantasy Score
Despite playing as a center back, Vásquez has scored in his last three appearances for both club and country heading into the tournament. The 27-year-old heads to his second World Cup as one of Javier Aguirre's most important players, contributing at both ends of the pitch. He is known for his solid defending and his ability to find space during set pieces to threaten on goal.
Sticking with the Mexican backline, PrizePicks is also running a special promo for the World Cup opening match, reducing César Montes’ passes attempted to 0.5 (down from 70.5). Claim the WC Max Discount for Montes HERE!
Other Mexico Players to Watch: Edson Álvarez, César Montes, Raúl Jiménez
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South Africa Player to Know: Oswin Appollis
Oswin Appollis Projections vs. South Africa via PrizePicks: 1.5 Shots, 1.5 Fouls Drawn, 0.5 Goals
Oswin Appollis has emerged as one of South Africa's most important players at just 24 years old, scoring two goals in the African Cup of Nations across four matches.
The attacking midfielder is South Africa's most creative playmaker, but is equally capable of getting on the scoresheet himself. Since making his international debut in late 2023, Appollis has scored 9 goals and added 8 assists in just 26 appearances.
Other South Africa Players to Watch: Lyle Foster, Relebohile Mofokeng, Aubrey Modiba
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Make Mexico vs. South Africa Picks on PrizePicks
Mexico's home-field advantage will be a talking point throughout the tournament as El Tri looks to make a deep run into the knockout rounds. It starts with this Mexico City match vs. South Africa, which will look to pull off a stunning upset as heavy underdogs in the tournament's opening match.
Don’t wait until the game starts at 3 p.m. ET. Make your Mexico vs. South Africa picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right on every World Cup game.
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