This Thursday, June 11, the 2026 World Cup finally kicks off with the first round of the group stage, and the opening schedule is lean: just two matches, both in Group A. The highlight is inevitable— Mexico vs. South Africa, at 4 p.m. (Brasília time), at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, marks the official opening of the World Cup. In front of their own fans, the host El Tri knows that a strong start carries significant weight in a format where the top two teams from each group advance directly to the round of 32, along with the eight best third-place finishers. There is also a historical charm to the matchup: it is a rematch of the 2010 opener, when the two teams tied 1-1 in South Africa. Sixteen years later, the roles are reversed, and Mexico is the host.
The second match of the day closes out the opening round of Group A and looks like a decisive showdown right off the bat. South Korea and the Czech Republic face off at 11 p.m. (Brasília time) at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara. Since neither team has the home-field advantage, the match takes on the feel of a direct battle for a spot: stumbling against a rival of equal caliber right off the bat could prove costly in the group’s final tally. As this is the first match for both teams in the tournament, there are no previous results, points, or standings to consider—everything starts from scratch this Thursday.
The World Cup schedule in Brazil for Thursday, June 11
- 4:00 p.m. — Mexico vs. South Africa. Round: 1st round of the group stage (Group A). Broadcast: SBT, Globo, ge tv, Globoplay, N Sports, Sportv, and Cazé TV. Stadium: Azteca (Mexico City).
- 11:00 p.m. — South Korea vs. Czech Republic. Round: 1st round of the group stage (Group A). Broadcast: Cazé TV. Stadium: Akron (Guadalajara).
Your World Cup marathon begins today—here’s what to do in São Paulo:
25 July 2026 18:30
