Mexico v Bafana: Date & kickoff time in ‘Hand of God’ WC opener

Bafana Bafana will have the honour of kicking off FIFA World Cup 2026 off against co-hosts Mexico.

Here’s all you need to know.

Mexico vs Bafana Bafana: 2026 World Cup opener key details

Mexico and South Africa will kick the 2026 World Cup off at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the scene of Diego Maradona’s iconic ‘Hand of God’ goal in 1986 against England.

Incidentally, these sides also played the opening match of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the first showpiece of its kind hosted on African soil.

Co-hosts Mexico, ranked 15th in the world by FIFA, will be eager to get their campaign off to a winning start against a Bafana Bafana side ranked 60th-best on the planet.

Mexico vs South Africa kicks off on Thursday, 11 June at 21:00 (SA time).

All you need to know about the Orlando Pirates/Mamelodi Sundowns-dominated squad

Nineteen of the 26-man squad named by Hugo Broos play in the Betway Premiership.

Ex-Orlando Pirates star Lyle Foster is the only British-based player, recently relegated from the Premier League with Burnley.

Uncapped 22-year-old defender Olwethu Makhanya is on the books of United States MLS side Philadelphia Union.

The squad contains eight players from the newly crowned champions Orlando Pirates. Mamelodi Sundowns, champions in eight of the last nine PSL campaigns, also have eight representatives.

South Africa face co-hosts Mexico in the tournament opener on 11 June in Mexico City, before Group A clashes with the Czech Republic in Atlanta on 18 June and South Korea in Monterrey on 24 June.

Scouting report on the Mexico team

The co-hosts are under the tutelage of the street smarts of 67-year-old Javier Aguirre.

He has held posts as the head coach of Japan and Egypt’s national sides, and coached several club sides in Mexico and Spain, notably Atletico Madrid, Espanyol, Mallorca, Real Zaragoza, Leganes and Monterrey.

He was at the helm for Mexico’s 2002 and 2010 World Cup campaigns.

He’ll lean on 34-year-old Fulham striker Raul Jimenez, veteran of 125 caps for Mexico, the most of any active player.

Exciting Club Tijuana star Gilberto Mora isn’t expected to start games regularly, but the prodigiously gifted 17-year-old playmaker is one to watch in 2026.