FIFA World Cup Kicks Off as Mexico Face South Africa in Opening Match

Mexico City: The wait is almost over for football fans around the world as the FIFA World Cup gets underway. In the opening match of the tournament, hosts Mexico will take on South Africa.

The match is scheduled to begin at 12.30 am Indian time, while the opening ceremony started at 11.00 pm. During the opening ceremony, Shakira and Burna Boy performed a high energy rendition of their song 'Dai Dai'.

Interestingly, the fixture mirrors an encounter from sixteen years ago. The opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was also played between Mexico and South Africa.

That match, held at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg during the World Cup hosted in Africa, ended in a 1–1 draw, with both teams scoring once.

Mexico will enter the field carrying the confidence of being the host nation. South Africa, meanwhile, will be aiming to produce an upset victory by defeating the hosts in the opening game through their trademark fighting spirit.

Football fans across the globe are now eagerly watching to see whether the result from one and a half decades ago will be repeated once again.