Mexico vs. South Africa: How to watch the first game of the 2026 World Cup: TV channel, start time, where to stream free, and more

The first match of the 2026 World Cup, Mexico vs. South Africa, is almost here! Mexico, one of the tournament's three host countries, will host this Group A match at Mexico City Stadium (also known as Estadio Azteca) on Thursday, June 11 with a starting time of 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. In the U.S.

>The 2026 World Cup Opening Ceremony, featuring performances from Shakira and Burna Boy, Belinda, Danny Ocean and more, is scheduled to air 90 minutes before the match starts, at 1:30 p.m. (There will also be Opening Ceremonies in the U.S. and Canada prior to the first scheduled matches in those host countries, too.)

>All World Cup games will be televised across FOX and FS1 (and Telemundo and Universo for Spanish coverage). The match is also one of two matches during the tournament that will stream free on Tubi. If you don't have cable (or an old-school TV antenna), you can tune into the game with a streaming service like FOX One, YouTube TV, DirecTV, or catch every match in Spanish on Peacock. Here's everything you need to know about watching the Mexico vs. South Africa match at the 2026 World Cup live from the U.S., and find out how you can watch every other match, too.

Where to watch the Mexico vs. South Africa match at the World Cup:

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>Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026

>Time: 3 p.m. ET

>TV channels: FOX, FS1, Telemundo, Universo

>Streaming: FOX One, Tubi, YouTube TV, DirecTV, Peacock, and more

When is the Mexico vs. South Africa match at the World Cup?The 2026 World Cup officially begins on June 11 at 3 p.m. when Mexico and South Africa kick off at Mexico City Stadium.

What channels are showing the Mexico vs. South Africa match?FOX and FS1 will be broadcasting every World Cup game in English. Spanish-language broadcasts of every World Cup game will air on Telemundo and Universo.

Where to watch the 2026 World Cup without cable:

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2026 FIFA World Cup group stage schedule: All times Eastern

Find World Cup tickets with GametimeThursday, June 11

>Mexico vs South Africa: 3 p.m. (FOX, Tubi) — Estadio Azteca, Mexico City South Korea vs Czechia: 10 p.m. (FS1) — Estadio Akron, Zapopan

>Friday, June 12 Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina: 3 p.m. (FOX) — BMO Field, Toronto United States vs Paraguay: 9 p.m. (FOX, Tubi) — SoFi Stadium, Inglewood

>Saturday, June 13 Qatar vs Switzerland: 3 p.m. (FOX) — Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara Brazil vs Morocco: 6 p.m. (FS1) — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford Haiti vs Scotland: 9 p.m. (FS1) — Gillette Stadium, Foxborough

>Sunday, June 14 Australia vs Türkiye: 12 a.m. (FS1) — BC Place, Vancouver Germany vs Willemstad Curaçao: 1 p.m. (FOX) — NRG Stadium, Houston Netherlands vs Japan: 4 p.m. (FOX) — AT&T Stadium, Arlington Ivory Coast vs Ecuador: 7 p.m. (FS1) — Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Sweden vs Tunisia: 10 p.m. (FS1) — Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Guadalupe

>Monday, June 15 Spain vs Cape Verde: 12 p.m. (FOX) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Belgium vs Egypt: 3 p.m. (FOX) — Lumen Field, Seattle Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay: 6 p.m. (FS1) — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Iran vs New Zealand: 9 p.m. (FS1) — SoFi Stadium, Inglewood

>Tuesday, June 16 France vs Senegal: 3 p.m. (FOX) — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford Iraq vs Norway: 6 p.m. (FOX) — Gillette Stadium, Foxborough Argentina vs Algeria: 9 p.m. (FOX) — Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

>Wednesday, June 17 Austria vs Jordan: 12 a.m. (FS1) — Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara Portugal vs DR Congo: 1 p.m. (FOX) — NRG Stadium, Houston England vs Croatia: 4 p.m. (FOX) — AT&T Stadium, Arlington Ghana vs Panama: 7 p.m. (FS1) — BMO Field, Toronto Uzbekistan vs Colombia: 10 p.m. (FS1) — Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

>Thursday, June 18 Czechia vs South Africa: 12 p.m. (FOX) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina: 3 p.m. (FOX) — SoFi Stadium, Inglewood Canada vs Qatar: 6 p.m. (FS1) — BC Place, Vancouver Mexico vs South Korea: 9 p.m. (FOX) — Estadio Akron, Zapopan

>Friday, June 19 United States vs Australia: 3 p.m. (FOX) — Lumen Field, Seattle Scotland vs Morocco: 6 p.m. (FOX) — Gillette Stadium, Foxborough Brazil vs Haiti: 8:30 p.m. (FOX) — Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Türkiye vs Paraguay: 11 p.m. (FS1) — Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara

>Saturday, June 20 Netherlands vs Sweden: 1 p.m. (FOX) — NRG Stadium, Houston Germany vs Ivory Coast: 4 p.m. (FOX) — BMO Field, Toronto Ecuador vs Willemstad Curaçao: 8 p.m. (FS1) — Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

>Sunday, June 21 Tunisia vs Japan: 12 a.m. (FS1) — Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Guadalupe Spain vs Saudi Arabia: 12 p.m. (FOX) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Belgium vs Iran: 3 p.m. (FS1) — SoFi Stadium, Inglewood Uruguay vs Cape Verde: 6 p.m. (FS1) — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami New Zealand vs Egypt: 9 p.m. (FS1) — BC Place, Vancouver

>Monday, June 22 Argentina vs Austria: 1 p.m. (FOX) — AT&T Stadium, Arlington France vs Iraq: 5 p.m. (FOX) — Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Norway vs Senegal: 8 p.m. (FOX) — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford Jordan vs Algeria: 11 p.m. (FS1) — Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara

>Tuesday, June 23 Portugal vs Uzbekistan: 1 p.m. (FOX) — NRG Stadium, Houston England vs Ghana: 4 p.m. (FOX) — Gillette Stadium, Foxborough Panama vs Croatia: 7 p.m. (FOX) — BMO Field, Toronto Colombia vs DR Congo: 10 p.m. (FS1) — Estadio Akron, Zapopan

>Wednesday, June 24 Switzerland vs Canada: 3 p.m. (FOX) — BC Place, Vancouver Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar: 3 p.m. (FS1) — Lumen Field, Seattle Scotland vs Brazil: 6 p.m. (FOX) — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Morocco vs Haiti: 6 p.m. (FS1) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Czechia vs Mexico: 9 p.m. (FOX) — Estadio Azteca, Mexico City South Africa vs South Korea: 9 p.m. (FS1) — Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Guadalupe

>Thursday, June 25 Ecuador vs Germany: 4 p.m. (FOX) — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford Willemstad Curaçao vs Ivory Coast: 4 p.m. (FS1) — Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Tunisia vs Netherlands: 7 p.m. (FOX) — Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City Japan vs Sweden: 7 p.m. (FS1) — AT&T Stadium, Arlington Türkiye vs United States: 10 p.m. (FOX) — SoFi Stadium, Inglewood Paraguay vs Australia: 10 p.m. (FS1) — Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara

>Friday, June 26 Norway vs France: 3 p.m. (FOX) — Gillette Stadium, Foxborough Senegal vs Iraq: 3 p.m. (FS1) — BMO Field, Toronto Uruguay vs Spain: 8 p.m. (FOX) — Estadio Akron, Zapopan Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia: 8 p.m. (FS1) — NRG Stadium, Houston New Zealand vs Belgium: 11 p.m. (FOX) — BC Place, Vancouver Egypt vs Iran: 11 p.m. (FS1) — Lumen Field, Seattle

>Saturday, June 27 Panama vs England: 5 p.m. (FOX) — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford Croatia vs Ghana: 5 p.m. (FS1) — Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Colombia vs Portugal: 7:30 p.m. (FOX) — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami DR Congo vs Uzbekistan: 7:30 p.m. (FS1) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Jordan vs Argentina: 10 p.m. (FOX) — AT&T Stadium, Arlington Algeria vs Austria: 10 p.m. (FS1) — Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

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