Football’s biggest stage is finally back, and fans have plenty to be excited about.
The 2026 World Cup begins on Thursday, ending years of anticipation as the tournament officially gets underway. The opening match features co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa, the 2010 host nation, in a nostalgic repeat of the competition’s curtain-raiser from 16 years ago.
Set at the legendary Estadio Azteca - home to the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals - the clash brings history, atmosphere, and high expectations to start the tournament in style.
Have a read of our Mexico vs South Africa prediction before you decide on your bet.
Mexico vs South Africa prediction for the 2026 World Cup
Both sides are kicking off their 2026 World Cup campaign in this tie. We weighed up the history, squad depth and current form of each nation before settling on our prediction.
Here is the bet we recommend:
Mexico Win
Who are the favourites?
Based on the leading UK-licensed bookmakers, Mexico is tipped to come out on top, with 64% of the odds leaning towards their win.
Looking for more? Browse all the World Cup odds and dig into this and other ties from the planet's biggest football tournament.
Mexico vs South Africa head-to-head record
These two nations have met only a handful of times of late — 1 match(es) in all, which only adds to the unpredictability of this 2026 World Cup tie.
Mexico: 0 win(s)
South Africa: 0 win(s)
Draws: 1
Mexico: opening the 2026 World Cup
Mexico make their FIFA World Cup bow having already logged 8 match(es) in 2026 in the build-up. Here is how they have fared:
6 win(s), 2 draw(s) and 0 loss(es)
15 goals scored (1.88 per game)
2 goals conceded (0.25 per game)
Players to watch for Mexico National Team
Leading scorer: Brian Gutierrez with 2 goal(s)
Most assists: Luis Francisco Romo Barrón with 1
South Africa: opening the 2026 World Cup
South Africa step out at the FIFA World Cup for the first time this edition after 13 match(es) in 2026.
Here is the South Africa National Team record:
This year so far
6 win(s), 5 draw(s) and 2 loss(es)
19 goals scored (1.46 per game)
9 goals conceded (0.69 per game)
Players to watch for South Africa National Team
Leading scorer: Jayden Adams with 2 goal(s)
Most assists: Oswin Reagan Appollis with 4
Mexico vs South Africa statistics at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Before you stake anything, look over the side-by-side comparison that sheds light on each nation's current form for this World Cup tie:
Mexico
International - World Cup
South Africa
International - World Cup
Mexico vs South Africa probable lineups
See the likely starting elevens below for our Mexico vs South Africa prediction at the 2026 World Cup.
México: Rangel; Reyes, Montes, Vásquez, Gallardo; Mora, Álvarez, Fidalgo; Alvarado, Jiménez, Vega.
South Africa: Williams; Muadu, Okon, Makhanya, Modiba; Sithole, Mokoena; Moremi, Zwane, Appollis; Foster.
How to watch Mexico vs South Africa live in the UK
Find out below where you can catch Mexico vs South Africa live during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Just remember, kick-off is at 20:00 UK time.
For the full schedule, check our our World Cup live streaming page.
More betting tips for this match
Alongside the main tip given at the top of this article, here are some other strong bets for Mexico vs South Africa:
Further 2026 World Cup predictions
Browse all of our 2026 FIFA World Cup predictions and keep up with the sharpest analysis from start to finish of the tournament.
Match details: Mexico vs South Africa
🆚 Fixture Mexico vs South Africa
🏆 Tournament 2026 FIFA World Cup
📅 Date Thursday, 11/06/2026
🕐 Kick-off 20:00 UK time
🏟️ Venue Estadio Azteca
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Sports betting analyst with over 15 years of experience. At APWin, he writes football predictions, reviews bookmakers and explains the reasoning behind every bet.