Mexico City, June 11 -- The wait is finally over as the FIFA World Cup 2026 gets underway on June 11 (Local Time), with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the tournament's opening match at the Mexico City Stadium. The match will start at 12:30 AM IST (early morning on June 12 in Indian Standard Time).

Group A clash marks the beginning of the biggest World Cup in history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across Canada, Mexico and the United States. For Mexico, the spotlight will be firmly fixed on El Tri as they seek to make a winning start in front of their home fans, according to FIFA.

Interestingly, the fixture is a reversal of the opening game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where Siphiwe Tshabalala's memorable s...