World Cup 2026: the official line-ups of Mexico – South Africa

The 2026 World Cup officially took flight this Thursday with a highly anticipated inaugural match between Mexico, one of the host countries, and South Africa. In a competitive atmosphere, both selections unveiled strong tactical choices for this first encounter of the tournament.

On the Mexican side, the coach opted for a balanced 4-1-4-1 formation, with Raúl Rangel in goal. The defensive line consists of Reyes, Montes, Vásquez, and Gallardo, while Lira plays the role of sentinel. Higher up, Fidalgo and Alvarado are tasked with feeding an attack led by Raúl Jiménez, supported by Quiñones and Gutiérrez.

On the opposite side, South Africa presented a 3-5-2 formation, with Williams in goal. The three-man defense is complemented by Modiba, Sibisi, and Okon, supported by Mudau and a dense midfield structured around Adams, Sithole, and Mokoena. In attack, Foster is paired with Rayners to try to shake up the Mexican block right from the start of the tournament.

The Official Lineups

Mexico: Rangel – Sanchez, Montes, Vasquez, Gallardo – Lira – Gutierrez, Alvarado, Fidalgo, Quinones – Jimenez

South Africa: Williams – Sibisi, Okon, Mbokazi – Mudau, Mokoena, Sithole, Adams, Modiba – Rayners, Foster