Mexico opened the 2026 World Cup with a 2-0 victory over South Africa on Thursday in Mexico City, capitalizing on an early defensive mistake and a second-half red card. Mexico’s Julián Quiñones scored the tournament’s first goal in the eighth minute after South Africa’s midfielder Sphephelo S’miso “Yaya” Sithole lost possession just outside the penalty area, allowing Mexico to take an early 1-0 lead. The mistake directly led to the first goal of the 2026 World Cup.   MEXICO SCORES THE FIRST GOAL OF THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP