Mexico, the National Team with the Most World Cup Opening Matches. Will It Break the Curse in 2026?

El Tri, set to host the FIFA World Cup for a third time, will look to make history from the very first match in 2026.

The Mexican National Team, one of the hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is preparing once again to kick off football’s biggest tournament, hoping not only to make history but also to finally break a long-standing curse.

Beyond becoming the first country to host the World Cup three times, and with the iconic Azteca Stadium — officially renamed Mexico City's Stadium for the tournament — set to become the only stadium ever to host three World Cup opening matches, El Tri also holds another unique distinction: it is the national team that has appeared most often in a World Cup opener.

A PRIVILEGE WITH MIXED EMOTIONS

Mexico has opened the FIFA World Cup on eight occasions. In Uruguay 1930, Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962, Mexico 1970, South Africa 2010, and now again in 2026, the Mexican side has been at the center of the global spotlight by playing the tournament’s opening match.

However, unlike Brazil and Germany — the next closest teams with seven and five opening appearances, respectively — Mexico has not done so as defending champion, nor has it ever celebrated an opening-game victory.

This time, El Tri will open the tournament as host nation for only the second time, following Mexico 1970. In 1986, reigning champion Italy played the opener against Bulgaria (1-1) after winning the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

Of the seven opening matches Mexico has already played, it has only avoided defeat twice: a scoreless draw against the Soviet Union in front of its home crowd in 1970 and a 1-1 draw against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2010. Before that, Mexico suffered three defeats against Brazil — two of them heavy losses — and was also beaten convincingly by France and Sweden.

On June 11, Mexico will once again face South Africa, a nation returning to the World Cup stage 16 years after hosting the tournament themselves.

THE RESULTS

Uruguay 1930: France 4-1 Mexico
Brazil 1950: Brazil 4-0 Mexico
Switzerland 1954: Brazil 5-0 Mexico
Sweden 1958: Sweden 3-0 Mexico
Chile 1962: Brazil 2-0 Mexico
Mexico 1970: Mexico 0-0 Soviet Union
South Africa 2010: South Africa 1-1 Mexico
United States, Mexico & Canada 2026: Mexico vs. South Africa ?

THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM?

Mexico, which also owns the record for appearing in five consecutive World Cup opening matches, will now chase its first-ever victory in a tournament opener at the legendary Coloso de Santa Úrsula.

Such a result would provide a major emotional boost, especially considering the doubts surrounding Javier “El Vasco” Aguirre’s squad and the perceived limitations of the current roster.

Still, Mexico enters with another streak in its favor: El Tri has gone unbeaten in its opening match in each of the last seven World Cups, dating back to France 1998. Can that run continue and perhaps finally help erase the disappointment of past opening games on home soil?