MEXICO CITY — Mexico usually hits a wall when it plays on the opening day of the World Cup . Of the seven previous occurrences, El Tri’s record is five losses and two draws. Mexico gets another shot Thursday when it hosts South Africa to kick off the 48-team tournament .

Unions and other groups plan to demonstrate at the capital’s World Cup stadium, adding tension as the much-watched event begins.

Canada will carry immense pressure ​into their World Cup opener when, in perhaps the most seminal moment in the country's soccer history, they face ‌Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday in front of a partisan home crowd with both teams seeking a first-ever knockout stage berth.

The first day of the 2026 World Cup isn't only about the opening game in Mexico City. The other teams in Group A with El Tri and South Africa meet in the state of Jalisco hours after the opener with a match that will go a long way in shaping the picture of the group.

The Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup could be decided by early group stage blowouts as much as anything else.

The largest ever FIFA World Cup kicks off later, taking place across the USA, Canada and Mexico. World Cup fever is well and truly here, with England looking to remedy 60 years of hurt and 47 other countries looking to stop them.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the demand for tickets hasn't gone down, showing that "maybe the price point was the right one."