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Opening Day Archive

World Cup 2026 Opening Day Results

June 11 was the first World Cup matchday: ceremony first, Mexico 2-0 South Africa in Mexico City, then Korea Republic 2-1 Czechia in Guadalajara. Start here for the opening-day order, final scores and replay or match-archive links.

Updated: June 11, 2026

Quick Answer

Opening day at a glance

Opening day was Thursday, June 11, 2026. The day began with the Mexico City ceremony, then Mexico vs South Africa kicked off at 1:00 PM local time. Korea Republic vs Czechia finished the day at 8:00 PM local time in Guadalajara. If you need the full completed score archive, use the Results Hub.

Opening eventMexico City ceremony
First matchMexico vs South Africa
Second matchKorea Republic vs Czechia
Best next pageResults Hub archive

Opening day timeline

Use this as the quick order for June 11. The ceremony page covers artists and venue notes, while the match pages cover football context and previews.

CeremonyReported 12:30 PM ET ceremony window

Opening ceremony in Mexico City

Start here if you want the ceremony window, venue context and broadcast-route notes from the first World Cup day.

Ceremony guide
Match 11:00 PM Mexico City / 3:00 PM ET

Mexico vs South Africa

Mexico 2-0 South Africa is the first completed Group A result.

Match result
Match 28:00 PM Mexico City / 10:00 PM ET

Korea Republic vs Czechia

Korea Republic 2-1 Czechia completed the opening-day Group A doubleheader.

Match result

Opening day matches and kickoff times

MatchVenueETPTUKCentral Europe
Match 1: Mexico vs South AfricaEstadio Azteca (Mexico City)Thu, Jun 11, 3:00 PM EDTThu, Jun 11, 12:00 PM PDTThu, Jun 11, 8:00 PM GMT+1Thu, Jun 11, 9:00 PM GMT+2
Match 2: Korea Republic vs CzechiaGuadalajara Stadium (Guadalajara)Thu, Jun 11, 10:00 PM EDTThu, Jun 11, 7:00 PM PDTFri, Jun 12, 3:00 AM GMT+1Fri, Jun 12, 4:00 AM GMT+2

Opening day replay and watch context

For U.S. viewers, Tubi was the free route for the ceremony and opener. FOX and FOX One carried English-language viewing, while Telemundo, Universo and Peacock were the Spanish-language routes. Use the linked watch guides for replay, highlight and broadcaster-archive context.

Opening MatchHow to watch Mexico vs South AfricaUse this for the channel, streaming and free-route notes around the opener.CeremonyOpening ceremony timeUse this for the reported ceremony window, performers, venue and free-stream notes.Free StreamWhat is free on Tubi?Check which opening events and early matches FOX lists as free on Tubi.Daily HubResults hubMove here for the completed match archive, score cards and final tournament links.

Where to go next

Opening day FAQ

What happens on World Cup 2026 opening day?

Opening day was Thursday, June 11, 2026. It started with the Mexico City opening ceremony, then Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 at Mexico City Stadium and Korea Republic beat Czechia 2-1 at Guadalajara Stadium.

What time does Mexico vs South Africa start on opening day?

Mexico vs South Africa kicks off at 1:00 PM in Mexico City on June 11, 2026. That is 3:00 PM ET, 12:00 PM PT, 8:00 PM in the UK and 9:00 PM in Central Europe.

How many matches are on World Cup opening day?

There were two matches on June 11, 2026: Mexico vs South Africa and Korea Republic vs Czechia.

Is this page different from Games Today?

Yes. Use this page for the June 11 opening-day order and first two results. Use the Results Hub for the completed tournament score archive.

Image source: ProtoplasmaKid via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Coverage trust

Opening day sources

Updated: June 11, 20263 official sources

Official sources

Official FIFA references