Mexico gears up for World Cup 2026 opening match against South Africa
Health officials at the National Autonomous University of Mexico warned that the 5.5 million visitors expected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup could face traveler’s diarrhea and other diseases, urging bottled water, hand‑washing and vaccinations.
The tournament’s opening ceremony in Mexico City will feature performances by Shakira and Burna Boy, a drone show displaying the host‑nation logos and mascots, and a fundraiser for the FIFA‑Global Citizen education fund.
National team preparations include a final friendly against Serbia in Toluca, the arrival of South Korea’s squad in Guadalajara, and South Africa’s training base at the Hotel Camino Real in Pachuca, with rooms priced from MXN 1,300 to MXN 4,164 per night.
Local authorities are under pressure as unfinished infrastructure projects near the renovated Estadio Azteca raise safety concerns, while workers wonder if June 11 – the opening‑match day – will be treated as a public holiday; the Labor Law does not currently mandate extra pay.
Broadcast arrangements guarantee free TV coverage of Mexico’s games on Televisa and TV Azteca, with pay‑TV and streaming options via TUDN and ViX. The World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across Mexico, the United States and Canada.