Mexico set to kick off 2026 World Cup against

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican national workforce will kick off the 2026 World Cup against South Africa on Thursday with the weight of entertaining 83,000 at iconic Azteca Stadium and soccer followers around the globe.

The match at the venue identified as Mexico City Stadium during the World Cup will kick off at midday PDT and air on Fox and Telemundo.

Once the ball begins rolling, the stadium’s altitude — 7,216 ft above sea stage — will likely be one of the most important belongings for the Mexican lineup led by coach Javier Aguirre.

It will likely be Mexico’s eighth opening match in a World Cup, and El Tri carries a historic burden. It has never received a event opener, with a report of 0-5-2, including a 1-1 draw against South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg.

Aguirre will probably deploy the 4-3-3 formation he used during Mexico’s closing warm-up match against Serbia.

“We’re ready; we’ve been working for 22 months,” said Aguirre, 67, who took the reins of the national workforce on Aug. 1, 2024, following Jaime Lozano’s failure at that 12 months’s Copa América, when Mexico was knocked out in the group stage.

Since his arrival, Aguirre has led the workforce to its first Concacaf Nations League title and the Gold Cup. Mexico enters the event on an eight-game unbeaten streak, though a number of of those outcomes got here against decrease tier opponents and at home. The two most encouraging highlights of that streak have been the attracts against Belgium and Portugal.

“If my teams are known for anything, it’s for their character,” Aguirre said. “My team is just like me.”

The beginning goalkeeper place stays a matter of debate, but it seems Aguirre has already made his choice. Guillermo Ochoa, who will likely be enjoying in his sixth World Cup with Mexico, is taken into account by many to be the perfect skilled goalkeeper to use during the opener, when nerves are sure to be high. However, Raúl Rangel has been the beginning goalkeeper during Mexico’s past three warm-up matches, enjoying the full 90 minutes each time.

Rangel, who was 10 years outdated when Mexico tied South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup and who fondly remembers El Tri’s victory over France that event, is assured between the posts.

Mexico may flip to veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa to calm nerves during the World Cup opener on Thursday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

“We’re in great shape; we proved it against Portugal and Belgium, two teams that are among the world’s elite,” said Rangel, who famous that Ochoa has instilled a sense of calm in the workforce.

“I do believe we can be champions. We have to start keeping that in mind and believe that it’s possible. Not everyone can boast that they played in a World Cup on home soil.”

The Mexican workforce’s lack of elite membership expertise, however, is apparent and may very well be a drawback. El Tri has few gamers in top-tier leagues and lacks game-changers on the wings, as Diego Lainez, Uriel Antuna and Hirving Lozano have been left off the ultimate roster. Offensive output is a trigger for concern. In tight matches, targets have come mainly from defenders, with César Montes and Johan Vásquez being the first threats on set items.

The dedication to youth seems to be a key issue in Aguirre’s strategy to building the roster. Mexican American Brian Gutiérrez brings freshness and dynamism to the midfield, alongside Erik Lira’s power. As an option off the bench, Aguirre may flip to 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, the youngest participant in the event, who is sure to draw cheers from the group.

For his half, South Africa’s 74-year-old head coach, Hugo Broos, is aware of the Azteca Stadium nicely, having marked Maradona during the 1986 World Cup semifinals. To acclimate his gamers to the altitude, he held training camp in Pachuca, at an elevation of 7,979 ft.

“This game is special. I’ve played in European championships, but there’s nothing like a World Cup. And we’re going to play at the Azteca Stadium — it’s incredible that this is going to happen,” Broos said.

South Africa coach Hugo Broo talks with Nigeria’s gamers during a World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Sept. 9.

(Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)

He expects to be challenged by Mexico.

“They’re a very well-rounded team, with great mobility and teamwork,” Broos said of El Tri. “You can tell they want to be world champions.”

South Africa will pose a real menace with Mbekezeli Mokoena driving the midfield and the pace of Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng on the wings. The workforce’s main weak spot lies in ending, as Lyle Foster is their only striker, and if he doesn’t carry out nicely, the South African aspect will undergo.

“We can’t say we don’t have a chance against Mexico, because that’s not true,” said Broos about his workforce, which is ranked sixtieth in FIFA rankings and will tangle with a Mexican squad ranked No. 14.

Pregame leisure will kick off at 10:30 a.m. PDT with performances by Shakira, Burna Boy, Maná, J Balvin, and Alejandro Fernández. As a new ceremonial characteristic, all 26 gamers from each workforce — starters and substitutes — will take part in the ceremony by lining up around the event’s central emblem on the sector, reasonably than in the normal pregame formation.

The match is anticipated to be performed in the rain. Protests are anticipated around the stadium throughout the day, including demonstrations by the lecturers’ union and teams representing the households of lacking individuals.