The first night of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America was packed with action: Mexico claimed victory in the tournament's opening match but faced disciplinary consequences, while South Korea staged an impressive comeback against the Czech Republic. Both Group A matches took place on June 11 local time and concluded in the early morning hours in Kyiv.
Mexico 2:0 South Africa — WC-2026 Opening Match with Three Red Cards
Tournament hosts Mexico kicked off the World Cup with a 2:0 victory over South Africa at the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Julián Quiñones scored as early as the 9th minute, while veteran Raúl Jiménez added a second goal in the 67th minute — his first World Cup goal across four tournament appearances.
The match, however, will be remembered above all for an unprecedented number of dismissals. Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio showed three red cards — a record for a World Cup opening match. South Africa defender Sfefelo Sithole received a straight red card in the 49th minute for a foul on Brayan Gutiérrez. Later, in the 84th minute, following a VAR review, Themba Zwane was sent off for striking Roberto Alvarado in the face with his arm. South Africa were thus reduced to nine men. Then, in stoppage time (90+2), Mexican defender César Montes also received a red card for denying an opponent a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
This is the first time in history that three players have been sent off in a World Cup opening match. For comparison, the entire 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw only four red cards throughout the whole tournament.
Under FIFA rules, all three dismissed players will automatically miss their team's next match. For Mexico, this means Montes will be absent for the game against South Korea, and coach Javier Aguirre will be forced to reshuffle his defensive line. South Africa, in turn, will face the Czech Republic without Sithole and Zwane.
South Korea 2:1 Czech Republic — Comeback in Group A's Second Match
In the second Group A match, South Korea staged an impressive comeback, defeating the Czech Republic 2:1 in Guadalajara. The Czechs opened the scoring in the 59th minute when captain Ladislav Krejčí headed in a throw-in delivery. However, the Koreans responded with two goals: Hwang In-beom equalized in the 67th minute with a precise strike, and substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu completed the comeback in the 80th minute, converting a cutback from Hwang.
The Czechs pushed for an equalizer, but South Korea held firm and claimed all three points. After the first round, Mexico and South Korea lead Group A with three points each.
June 12 Match Schedule: Canada and USA Make Their Debuts
Today, June 12, two more group stage matches will take place. Canada will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto (Group B, kick-off at 15:00 Eastern Time), while the USA will play Paraguay in Inglewood, California (Group D, kick-off at 21:00 Eastern Time). Both matches will mark the home debuts of the other two host nations.
Tournament Format and Key Features of WC-2026
As a reminder, WC-2026 is the first World Cup in history to be held simultaneously across three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament features 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. The top two from each group advance to the knockout stage, along with the eight best third-placed teams. The final will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
