Raúl Jiménez sealed Mexico's win against nine-man South Africa in the opening game of the World Cup 2026 at the Azteca Stadium. The victory was comfortable, but broader concerns about tournament organisation and geopolitical tensions lingered.
Early Breakthrough
The match began with a crucial error. South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole was caught in possession nine minutes in. Julián Quiñones ran onto the ball and lashed it through goalkeeper Ronwen Williams's legs to give Mexico the lead. This moment seemed to shift focus from pre-match anxieties to football.
However, the shadow of wider issues remained. Donald Trump's war with Iran and immigration police outrages continued. FIFA president Gianni Infantino opted to run the tournament without a local organising committee, contributing to shambolic organisation at the Azteca: chaotic traffic, non-existent signage, no WiFi, and general disorder.
Fan Enthusiasm
Despite these problems, Mexican fans were ecstatic. The atmosphere was one of merry chaos. Outside the stadium, mariachi bands, people in dog and pig heads, wrestling masks, and a jazz sextet in lilac attire entertained. Inside, nearly everyone wore green, white, or orange sombreros. The streets had been rammed since dawn.
The opening ceremony featured a voiceover declaring, "Football unites us all," though many were excluded: Somalian referees, Iranian backroom staff, and those unable to afford expensive tickets. The football family is increasingly small and wealthy.
A huge FIFA sign hung over the pitch before kick-off, casting a dystopian shadow. It was later moved to a high stand, where it glowered like a corporate version of Sauron's Eye.
Azteca's History
The renovated stadium retained points of familiarity, evoking epiphanic moments from past tournaments: Pelé's pause for Carlos Alberto's overlap, Manuel Negrete's bicycle kick against Bulgaria, Diego Maradona's dribble for his second goal against England.
Mexico's warm-up was greeted with roars and whistles. An hour before kick-off, excitement and positivity culminated in a blizzard of sombreros as the countdown began, though some empty seats were notable. Players lined up around the centre-circle for anthems, meaning their backs were to the whole stadium.
Second Half Dominance
Another blizzard of sombreros and plumes of beer erupted when Raúl Jiménez doubled Mexico's lead. He arrived unmarked at the back post to head home Roberto Alvarado's cross. Earlier, Quiñones had sidefooted against the post.
South Africa's hopes vanished when Sithole was sent off four minutes into the second half for bundling over Brian Gutiérrez, though Nkosinathi Sibisi's dawdling might have made Gutiérrez offside. Substitute Themba Zwane was also sent off with seven minutes remaining for clipping Alvarado in the face.
Mexico may rue not winning more comfortably to boost goal difference for a best third-place finish, especially after César Montes's needless late red card for a last-man foul on Khuliso Mudau.
The tournament is underway, and the hosts have a win, but broader problems are far from resolved.
