Mexico City: Mexico started their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against South Africa with high intensity and quickly got the breakthrough after sustained pressure.

The breakthrough came in the 9th minute, when Julian Quinones capitalised on a loose ball inside the box and finished clinically to give Mexico a 1–0 lead at halftime.

Before that moment, South Africa had been kept alive by a sensational display from goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who produced a stunning one-handed save to deny Raul Jimenez a certain opener early in the match.

Williams’ reflex stop immediately became one of the talking points of the game, with fans hailing it as a potential “save of the season” despite the tournament just beginning. He continued to keep South Africa in the contest with multiple crucial saves as Mexico piled on pressure.

However, South Africa struggled to build momentum, frequently pinned back by Mexico’s aggressive pressing and quick combinations. The African side looked disorganised in possession and was forced to rely heavily on Williams to stay in the game during the opening stages.

Who is Ronwen Williams?

Williams captains the South Africa national team. He plays his club football for Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League.

He is widely regarded as one of the top goalkeepers in the world, having been ranked the ninth-best goalkeeper at the 2024 Ballon d’Or awards. He also spent part of his youth career with English club Tottenham Hotspur.

Meanwhile, kickoff launched a sprawling tournament of 48 teams that will last nearly six weeks.

The extravaganza hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada is the biggest World Cup in history, stretching until the final in New Jersey on July 19 and is projected to generate a record-breaking $13 billion in total revenue.

The official opening ceremony lit up the Estadio Azteca stadium before kickoff with Colombian superstar Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy delighting the crowd with a performance of "Dai Dai", the official song of the tournament.

But there were scuffles outside the stadium as fans pushed and shoved as they tried to get into the official fan zone in the centre of Mexico City.