The 2026 FIFA World Cup opened Thursday with three straight red cards in the first match.
Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 at Estadio Azteca. Two South Africa players and one from Mexico were sent off in the second half.
South Africa’s Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane received red cards. Mexico’s César Montes also saw red. The ejections left South Africa playing with nine men for much of the final stages.
Mexico scored first through Julian Quinones early in the game and added a second goal later. The co hosts took the points in front of a large home crowd.
The three red cards marked the first time an opening World Cup match had that many dismissals. In contrast, the entire 2018 and 2022 tournaments each had only four red cards across all games.
The incidents stemmed from serious challenges that officials judged worthy of immediate ejection rather than second yellow cards. Both teams adjusted their play after the send offs.
Mexico started the expanded tournament with a win. South Africa, back in the World Cup, faced a difficult situation after the reductions in numbers. The match highlighted strict refereeing in the opening fixture of the 48 team event.