Mexico roll past South Africa in dominant World Cup opener

Mexico off to a flyer against South Africa

Your World Cup is up and running. Mexico beat South Africa in the tournament opener Thursday in what sounds like a completely one-sided affair. Former South Africa international Dean Furman didn't hold back, calling his old side "miles off it" and describing the performance as a "nightmare from start to finish" (1). Portuguese outlet Tribuna Expresso went even harder, labeling South Africa's approach a "suicidal strategy" and calling it the first truly dominant display of this World Cup (2). The scoreline hasn't been confirmed across sources, but the tone is unanimous, Mexico ran the show.

Sheinbaum skips her own party

In a strange look for a co-host nation, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum is boycotting the World Cup (3). The political backdrop is messy, and her absence from the tournament Mexico is staging alongside the United States and Canada is already making headlines. For fans, it's an awkward subplot on what should be a celebration.

Track every result as it lands

The group stage is underway and the schedule is packed. French outlet Ici has a live-updating page with all the scores, daily fixtures, and group standings for the entire tournament, bookmark it if you want to keep tabs on who's rising and who's already in trouble (4).