Mexico vs South Africa World Cup match preview

Afta many months of tok-tok and buildup, di World Cup finally dey hia and afta di colourful opening ceremony wey go happun for di Estadio Azteca for Mexico City on Thursday evening, di football go begin.

Two oda opening ceremonies go happun on 12 June for Toronto (Canada) and Los Angeles (USA).

Top stars like Shakira and Burna boy dey set to perform di Fifa World Cup song for dis year togeda wit oda artistes like Alejandro Fernandez, J Balvin, Mana and Tyla, for di Estadio Azteca for Mexico City at 5:30 PM GMT (6:30 WAT).

Di game itserf between di host kontri Mexico and South Africa go happun at 7:00 PM GMT (8:00 WAT).

Dis be di second time Bafana Bafana of South Africa go jam wit Mexico for World cup game opener – 16 years afta dem face each oda for di 2010 tournament.

For dat game for di 2010 World Cup, e end for 1-1 draw for Johannesburg.

Apart from di buildup to di biggest tournament wey dey dominated wit controversy ova visa wahala, fan tickets and oda security issues, South Africa also dey enta di game afta plenty tension for dia kontri.

On top social media, many African fans say dem go support Mexico for dis opening game sake of di anti-immigration protests and xenophobic attacks against black Africans for di kontri.

Vigilantes and oda groups bin dey pursue African migrants from di kontri wey dem give 30 June deadline for all African foreigners to comot dia kontri.

So far kontris like Ghana, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria and Zimbabwe don evacuate some of dia citizens from di kontri as threats and violence against African migrants dey continue.

For football fans for Africa, dis attacks on fellow black pipo dey unfortunate, na so dem also decide say dem no go support South Africa.

Team news and buildup

Mexico don appear for di World Cup 18 times, wey dis be dia nineth successive qualification to di mundial.

Overall dem play 60 games for di tournament (W17, D15, L28), dia best finish for dia history be when dem reach di quarterfinals for 1970 and 1986.

El Tri dey carry a mix of experience players and young talents to di tournament.

Guillermo Ochoa dey appear for im sixth tournament, captain Edson Alvarez bin win di best player for di 2025 Concacaf gold Cup, Raul Jiminez be di top scorer for di 2025 Concacaf Nations League.

Dem also get di youngest player for di tournament – Gilberto Mora (17 years).

For South Africa, dis be dia fourth World Cup appearance, di first time since dem host di tournament 16 years ago.

Hugo Broos dey count on di core of im locally based players to try and qualify from dia group.

Mamelodi Sundowns Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams wey win 2023 Afcon goalkeeper of di tournament, togeda wit teammate Teboho Mokoena di engine for midfield and Burnley striker Lyle Foster go hope to begin on a strong foot.

Di ova 65 million South Africans go dey support dia team and hope dey use di criticism and online trolls and drags as motivation.

Wetin di two coaches tok ahead of di game

Dia manager Javier Aguirre bin dey lead di kontri to di tournament for di third time (2002, 2010, 2026), im sabi di game well well.

"South Africa football don evolve wey dem improve so much," Aguirre tok journalists ahead of di game.

Im add say "we dey respect South Africa, for football today, we no get small rivalry, but we no dey fear dem."

Di 67-year-old Mexico coach also pay tribute to South Africa gaffer Hugo Broos ahead of di match.

"I dey respect Hugo very much, im give South Africa di structure dem get wey im bin dey use di Sundowns and Orlando players for di team since dem dey young, dem bin dey play togeda since."

Bafana Bafana coach 74-year-old Hugo Broos sabi say Mexico be di "strongest team" for dia group.

"We dey ready to fight for every ball against dem; dem dey play good football wey dem go play in front of 85,000 fans for stadium."

Broos say "e dey important say we win our first game for di competition for group like dis, if you no win, you already dey difficult position."

Possible lineups

Mexico XI: Rangel; Gallardo, Vasquez, Montes, Reyes; Gutierrez, Lira, Fidalgo; Quinones, Alvarado, Jimenez

South Africa XI: Williams; Mudau, Okon, Mbokazi, Modiba; Mokoena, Sithole, Mbatha; Moremi, Foster, Appollis

Di game go happun at 7PM GMT (8PM WAT), make you join us hia for live commentary