MEX 
RSA | Mexico City (CST) | 13:00 |
| London (BST) | 20:00 |
| Oslo (CEST) | 21:00 |
| UTC | 19:00 |
Mexico host South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on — the opening match of the Football World Cup 2026. Kickoff is at ( / ). In the United States, the match is available free on Tubi, free over the air on FOX and Telemundo, and on Peacock with a subscription. This is a Group A fixture.
Mexico vs South Africa kicks off at on . In Mexico City that is — a lunchtime kickoff at a sold-out Estadio Azteca. US viewers on the East Coast watch at , while those on the West Coast can tune in from . UK viewers see the match at , and Central European viewers at .
| Timezone | Kickoff time |
|---|---|
| Mexico City (CST) | |
| US Eastern (ET) | |
| US Pacific (PT) | |
| UTC | |
| UK (BST) | |
| Central Europe (CEST) |
Mexico vs South Africa is played at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico. With a capacity of 87,000, it is one of the largest football stadiums in the world. The stadium sits at altitude in the Mexican capital and carries enormous significance for the host nation. The IANA timezone for kickoff scheduling is America/Mexico_City.
In the United States, Mexico vs South Africa is available free on Tubi (English, no subscription required) and free over the air on FOX and Telemundo. English-language coverage is on FOX — free with an antenna or the FOX Sports app with a TV-provider sign-in. Spanish-language coverage is on Telemundo, also free over the air. Peacock carries the full Spanish-language stream (subscription required).
Yes. In the United States, Mexico vs South Africa is free to watch without any subscription. Tubi streams the match live in English at no cost — no account needed. FOX broadcasts the match free over the air (you need an antenna or a live TV service that includes FOX). Telemundo carries free Spanish-language coverage on TV and its app. This is one of the most accessible matches of the tournament.
If you are outside the United States and want to watch on a US-based service, a VPN can redirect your connection to appear as if you are in the US. This gives access to free options like Tubi or FOX’s free over-the-air stream. Important: using a VPN to access streaming services may breach those services’ terms of service. Check the rules of any platform before using a VPN to access it. WC Matches does not endorse or encourage terms-of-service violations.
Group A also features South Korea and Czech Republic, who meet for the first time at this tournament on June 12. The group’s final matchday on June 25 sees both fixtures kick off simultaneously. See all matches on opening day for the full schedule on , or browse all group-stage matches for the complete first-round picture.
For the full Group A picture, see Group A at the Football World Cup 2026.
Source data: WC Matches draws match details from the official tournament schedule. Broadcaster information reflects rights as confirmed at the time of publication. Check broadcaster websites for the most current scheduling details.
See also: Mexico’s full World Cup 2026 schedule · South Africa’s full World Cup 2026 schedule · How to watch the World Cup 2026 in the US · Football World Cup 2026 schedule
Exclusive Spanish-language broadcaster of the 2026 World Cup in the United States. 92 of the 104 matches air free over the air on the Telemundo broadcast network; 12 air on Universo with a cable subscription. The two opening matches also stream free in Spanish on the Telemundo app.
Exclusive English-language broadcaster of the 2026 World Cup in the United States. 70 matches air free over the air on the FOX broadcast network, 34 air on FS1 with a cable subscription. Streaming on the FOX Sports app and FOX One requires TV-provider sign-in for most matches.
NBCUniversal's streaming service and the only place to stream all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup live in Spanish. The two opening matches are also available on the free Peacock Select tier. Streams in Dolby Atmos with multiview, live picks, and catch-up highlights.