World Cup Day 1 What to Watch: Mexico gets the tournament started as Group A begins play
The World Cup is finally here.
The 2026 tournament kicks off Thursday with Group A getting underway. Here's what you need to know for Day 1 of the World Cup.
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Mexico vs. South Africa
Thursday, June 11 | 3 p.m. ET | Mexico City | TV: Fox
Odds: Mexico (-235), South Africa (+650), Tie (+340)
The World Cup traditionally kicks off with a game featuring the host country. And by virtue of being in Group A, Mexico gets the honors among Canada and the United States to go first.
Mexico is the prohibitive favorite to win Group A and, as you can see, is heavily favored to win Thursday. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, 40, is making his sixth World Cup appearance. Will he get the start to commemorate another tournament? Or will Tala Rangel get the start over him?
Raul Jiménez leads the Mexico attack and 17-year-old Gilberto Mora is likely to start in midfield after he re-upped to stay with Club Tijuana.
South Africa is making its first World Cup appearance since it was the host nation in 2010. Bafana Bafana failed to get out of the group stage in that tournament and is a heavy underdog to make the expanded Round of 32 this time around too. Most of the South African squad plays domestically, but Burnley striker Lyle Foster will feature up front.
South Korea vs. Czechia
Thursday, June 11 | 10 p.m. ET | Guadalajara | TV: FS1
Odds: South Korea (+160), Czechia (+180), Tie (+180)
This could be a game that decides second place in the group if you assume that Mexico will finish in first.
South Korea is making its 10th straight World Cup appearance and made the Round of 16 in Qatar in 2022 before losing 4-1 to Brazil. The team is led by former Tottenham star Son Heung-Min, who currently plays for LAFC in MLS. However, Son's club form hasn't been great so far this season. Can he recapture the magic at the World Cup?
Czechia is at the World Cup for the first time since 2006 and hasn't made the knockout rounds of the tournament since a quarterfinal appearance in 1990 as Czechoslovakia. Patrik Schik will start up front for Czechia, and Tomáš Souček is still a midfield mainstay after losing the captaincy in November amid a kerfuffle about Czechia players not applauding their fans following a 6-0 win over Gibraltar.
