Amid the radiant costumes, face paint and thunderous cheers, soccer fans across the globe turned their eyes toward Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Thursday for the 2026 World Cup’s opening ceremony and the tournament’s inaugural match, where Mexico’s El Tri secured a 2-0 victory over South Africa’s Bafana.
Read more Shakira, Andrea Bocelli and Salma Hayek kick-start the World Cup at opening ceremony in Mexico City
The opening day’s slate concludes with a match between South Korea and the Czech Republic.
Read more Pochettino says top US defender Chris Richards is available for World Cup opener after ankle injury
The tournament continues Friday with two matches. At 3 p.m. ET, Canada takes the pitch in Toronto to face Bosnia and Herzegovina. Later that evening, the spotlight shifts to Inglewood, California, where the United States men’s national team makes its highly anticipated debut against Paraguay at 6 p.m. PT.
Read more Japan captain Wataru Endo is out of the World Cup and retires from international duty
FANS PHOTO GALLERY
Mexico fans on the stands hold t-shirts with a picture of Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo before the start of the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Fans gather to watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Mexico Fans celebrate after watching the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Mexico fans watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Fans gather to watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Fans arrive at a fan festival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 11, 2026, to watch a broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Fans gather at a fan festival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 11, 2026, to watch a broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Fans arrive at a fan festival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 11, 2026, to watch a broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Mexican fans cheer before the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. ((AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
A fan holds up a replica of the World Cup trophy at a fan festival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 11, 2026, during a live broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Fans celebrate a goal by Mexico while watching a live broadcast of a FIFA World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Mexico fans cheer after their their side scored their first goal, as people watch a live broadcast of the opening World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa on beachfront big screens in Miami Beach, Fla., Thursday, June 11, 2026. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Mexico fans cheer after the playing of their national anthem as they watch a live broadcast of the opening World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa on big screens on the beachfront in Miami Beach, Fla., Thursday, June 11, 2026. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Fans react while watching a live broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Fans react while watching a live broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Fans gather at Auditorium Shores during Austin FC’s Austin Soccer Celebration to watch Mexico play South Africa in the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Austin, Texas. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Fans gather to watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Fans watch the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Mexico and South Africa at a fan festival in the Zocalo, Mexico City’s main square, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Fans celebrate Mexico’s first goal as they to watch a broadcast of the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa at a fan festival in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Sydney Shankman)
Mexico fans watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Mexico fans celebrate their team’s first goal against South Africa as they watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Mexico fans watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Mexico fans watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Mexico fans celebrate their team’s first goal against South Africa as they watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Fans watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
A Mexico fan waits to watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Fans celebrate a goal by Mexico while watching a live broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Mexico fans watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Mexico fans celebrate in the second half during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Fans cheer during the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Fans watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Fans gather to watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa at a coffee shop in Aden, Yemen, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)
Fans gather to watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa in Aden, Yemen, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)
Soccer fans watch a broadcast of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africe at a local coffeeshop in Gaza Strip, Friday June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Fans react as they watch a broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Fans react as they watch a broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Fans watch the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Mexico and South Africa at a fan festival in the Zocalo, Mexico City’s main square, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
A Mexico fan is tossed into the air in celebration at a fan festival while waiting to watch a broadcast of the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Sydney Shankman)
Mexico fans celebrate their team’s first goal against South Africa as they watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Fans celebrate a goal by Mexico while watching a live broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
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Mexico fans on the stands hold t-shirts with a picture of Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo before the start of the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
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