Mexico vs South Africa Key Stats: FIFA World Cup 2026

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Below you can find key stats for Mexico vs South Africa. From historical trends to player milestones, we have you covered for every match at FIFA World Cup 2026 in USA, Canada & Mexico!

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• Mexico and South Africa also faced each other in the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg — their only meeting on football’s biggest stage — where Siphiwe Tshabalala spectacularly put the hosts in front before Rafael Márquez levelled the score.
• That was the teams’ last meeting. Three others, all in the USA, preceded it, Mexico winning the first two before South Africa prevailed 2-1 in the group stage of the 2005 Concacaf Gold Cup in Carson, California.
• Mexico are appearing at their 18th FIFA World Cup, a total surpassed only by Brazil (23), Germany (21) and Argentina (19), and this tournament marks their ninth consecutive participation since their absence in 1990.
• This will be El Tri’s 61st FIFA World Cup match, extending their Concacaf‑record total, with the USA second on 37.
• Co-hosts of this year’s finals, Mexico achieved their best finishes on the two occasions when they previously hosted the tournament, reaching the quarter-finals in 1970 and again in 1986.
• The Mexicans are unbeaten in their seven FIFA World Cup matches played in Mexico City to date, recording five wins and two draws while conceding just twice.
• Mexico’s run of seven successive appearances in the knockout rounds of the FIFA World Cup ended when they exited Qatar 2022 after the group stage.
• Mexico are unbeaten in their opening match in each of the last seven editions of the FIFA World Cup with five wins and two draws. A 1-0 loss against Norway in 1994 is their last opening fixture defeat.
• All four of Mexico’s previous FIFA World Cup meetings with CAF opponents came in the group stage, featuring a 3-1 defeat to Tunisia in 1978, 0-0 draw with Angola in 2006, 1-1 draw with South Africa in 2010 and 1-0 victory over Cameroon in 2014.
• Javier Aguirre is the first head coach to lead Mexico in three FIFA World Cup campaigns, having also been at the helm in 2002 and 2010.
• Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre and his opposite number for South Africa, Hugo Broos, both made their FIFA World Cup debuts as players at the Mexico City Stadium in the 1986 opening Group B fixture between Mexico and Belgium. Aguirre’s Mexico won the game 2-1, and the group, before exiting in the quarter-finals, whereas Broos’s Belgium, third in the group, went on to finish fourth.
• Aguirre was also the head coach of Mexico against South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg.
• South Africa are returning to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010, marking their fourth overall appearance at the finals.
• Although they have never progressed beyond the group stage, South Africa lost only one match in each of their three previous participations. Their most memorable result came in 2010, when they defeated France 2-1 in their final group fixture.
• South Africa ended their 16-year absence from the global showpiece by topping their qualifying group with a decisive 3-0 victory over Rwanda on the final matchday and finishing one point ahead of Nigeria and Benin.
• Bafana Bafana’s only previous FIFA World Cup encounter against a Concacaf team saw them draw 1-1 with Mexico in 2010.
• South Africa have lost only two of their last eight FIFA World Cup matches (W2 D4).
• South Africa’s nine FIFA World Cup matches prior to this edition produced 27 goals, at an average of three per game.
• South Africa have found the net in seven of their nine FIFA World Cup matches.
• South Africa drew their opening match in each of their last two FIFA World Cup participations — 2-2 vs Paraguay in 2002 and 1-1 vs Mexico in 2010 — after losing 3-0 to France on their debut in 1998.
• CAF teams have won their last two FIFA World Cup meetings with Concacaf opponents, with Morocco beating Canada 2-1 in the 2022 group stage and Tunisia defeating Panama 2-1 in the 2018 group stage.
• Belgium-born head coach Hugo Broos is the fourth different tactician to lead South Africa at the FIFA World Cup, following Philippe Troussier (French, 1998), Jomo Sono (South African, 2002) and Carlos Alberto Parreira (Brazilian, 2010) – meaning the team have been guided by four coaches of four different nationalities on the global stage.
• South Africa’s Hugo Broos, aged 74 years and 62 days, is set to become the oldest head coach in FIFA World Cup history, eclipsing Otto Rehhagel’s previous mark of 71 years and 317 days, set during Greece’s match against Argentina in 2010. The milestone will stand only briefly: Czechia’s Miroslav Koubek will surpass Broos later on 11 June when he leads his side against Korea Republic at 74 years and 283 days. The record will then be extended further on 14 June, when Curaçao’s Dick Advocaat takes charge against Germany at the age of 78 years and 260 days.
• Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico) is participating in a record-equalling sixth FIFA World Cup - a feat only achieved by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at the 2026 finals.
• At the age of 17 years and 240 days at the start of the tournament, Gilberto Mora is the youngest player in any squad at the 2026 finals. If he appears in this match, he will become the youngest player ever to represent Mexico at a FIFA World Cup, surpassing Manuel Rosas, who was 18 years and 87 days old when he faced France in 1930. Mora would also become only the eighth player in World Cup history to feature before turning 18, and the youngest ever from a Concacaf nation.
• At 20 years and 265 days, Mbekezeli Mbokazi could become the third‑youngest player ever to appear in a FIFA World Cup for South Africa. Only Delron Buckley (20 years, 193 days vs. Denmark) and Benni McCarthy (20 years, 212 days vs. France), both in 1998, made their debuts at a younger age.
• At 36 years and 312 days, Themba Zwane could become the oldest player ever to appear in a FIFA World Cup for South Africa, surpassing Andre Arendse, who was 34 years and 350 days old when he faced Spain on 12 June 2002.

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