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Mexico to Face South Africa in Historic 2026 World Cup Opener

Washington, D.C. – The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada, has been completed, revealing that Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match. The game is scheduled for June 11th at Estadio Banorte. This marks a repeat of the 2010 World Cup opener, where the two teams drew 1-1.

Mexico will also face South Korea in the group stage, a team they have historically defeated in previous World Cup encounters. The final opponent will be the winner of a European playoff between Denmark, Czech Republic, Macedonia, and Ireland.

This will be the eighth time Mexico has participated in a World Cup opening match, holding a poor record of five losses and two draws, with a total of 19 goals conceded, but only 2 goals scored. Despite the historical struggles in opening games, Mexico hopes to break the curse and secure their first victory in a World Cup opener on home soil.

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