The first day of the 2026 World Cup started with a red card in Mexico on Thursday and ended with a Red Devils defeat.
Mexico scored its first goal and win of the tournament when it defeated South Africa 2–0 on home soil in front of a packed stadium in Mexico City. The match was marred by three red-card dismissals – the most in a match in World Cup history – leaving South Africa with only nine players out. South Africa's Spphelo Sithole and Themba Zwane and Mexico's Cesar Montes will all miss their team's next game.
Packed watch parties of Mexican fans from Atlanta to Los Angeles celebrated the victory.
“It's a big responsibility, because 11 Mexicans are representing a country of 180 million people,” said Mexico's Eric Ira. “We did our best and the moment the referee started the match, we went on the field to win.”
Hours later in Guadalajara, South Korea's Red Devils dominated possession but still rallied from a goal down to beat Czechia 2–1 thanks to a superb goal and assist from Hwang In-beom.
Hwang's shot fake and spectacular finish to tie the game brought the crowd inside the stadium – mainly Korean fans – out of their seats. But after much discussion in preparation for the tournament about ticket pricing, noticeable rows were empty.
Those matches were only the first two of a total of 104 that would be played over the next five weeks before a champion was crowned on July 19. Starting on Friday, the action in the 48-team tournament, the largest field in its history, will shift to the other co-host nations, the US and Canada.
In Inglewood, Calif., the U.S. men open Friday in a game against Paraguay, 20 months after coach Mauricio Pochettino was hired to lead them to their first World Cup on home soil since 1994.
“There is something growing in the group now, and what we can say to date is that all situations are very positive and we are very happy,” Pochettino said.
The United States is trying to advance beyond the Round of 16 for the first time since 2002. Since 2010, it has lost only one of its last nine group-stage games, including three wins and five draws. On Friday, it will face a Paraguay team, which defeated both football superpowers Argentina and Brazil during tournament qualifying in 2024 to qualify for its first World Cup since 2010.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino speaking at the announcement of the national teams' World Cup rosters in New York on May 26. Timothy A. via Getty Images Clary/AFP
Pochettino did not announce his starting players, but said he had decided on a lineup. That said, all 26 players on the US roster are available for selection – meaning Chris Richards, a key defender who suffered an ankle injury in April, could bolster the US backline.
“Chris is available for selection, and then we will decide whether he will start from the beginning of the game or on the bench,” Pochettino said.