'That's a joke': Watch the contentious red card hat trick in Mexico v South Africa

Mexico began their World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over South Africa in a fiery encounter at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca.

Three red cards were issued in the opening match between Mexico and South Africa, including a controversial call against Mexico's César Montes. Source: Getty / David Ramos

In brief

• Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
• South Korea and Czechia are playing at 12pm AEST.

Mexico got the FIFA World Cup party started as the co-hosts swept South Africa aside 2-0 in a scrappy encounter that saw three red cards shown.

More than 80,000 fans packed out Mexico City's Estadio Azteca for the Group A match, which will be remembered for the flurry of dismissals that saw South Africa reduced to nine men and a controversial call against Mexico's César Montes.

Mexico dominated from the get-go, with Julián Quiñones — who was awarded player of the match — setting the tone early with a strike from the edge of the penalty area in the ninth minute.

Veteran 35-year-old striker Raúl Jiménez added a second — his first World Cup goal in four tournaments — after nodding a header in the 67th minute, removing any lingering tension for the home crowd.

South Africa were reduced to 10 men when Sphephelo Sithole was sent off early in the second half, with his teammate Themba Zwane following him off the pitch in the 84th minute before Montes was dismissed in the dying moments.

Montes was dismissed after he stuck a leg out and knocked down South African attacker Khuliso Mudau, a call that fired up SBS guest and former Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng.

"That’s a joke, that’s a joke red card for me," he said on SBS's post-game coverage.

"Maybe we can argue, maybe we can fight about it, but I’m telling you that’s not a red card."

Under FIFA rules, a red card results in an automatic one-game suspension for the offending player, meaning Montes will miss Mexico's second group match against South Korea.

Fouls can be treated more harshly if the act is considered to be a deliberate act to stop a clear goal-scoring opportunity, as was deemed the case for Montes.

• All the FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage on our World Cup page
• How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 on SBS
• Watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at our On Demand hub
• When the Socceroos matches start

But Boateng said other defenders were in the immediate vicinity.

"It's not a clear opportunity to score. It's a foul, it’s a yellow card, but you just robbed the captain of the Mexican team for the next game," he said.

"He's going wide, he’s not going towards goal, and at the end of the day, there’s another two players in the middle who can defend his shot, his cross, whatever. It’s not a clear red card.

"This is where I suppose VAR should step in and say 'that’s a mistake'."

Who else is playing on day one of the World Cup?

The ill-tempered encounter spoiled an otherwise party atmosphere, yet the home crowd got to celebrate an opening victory that will set them up to make it out of their group, which also includes South Korea and Czechia who kicked off at 12pm AEST.

An opening ceremony featuring Shakira and Burna Boy performing the World Cup anthem had pumped up the crowd even further before Mexico swiftly got down to business.

The fixture was a repeat of the 2010 tournament opener, when South Africa held Mexico to a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg, yet this encounter was played out in a stadium with World Cup history stamped all over it.

The Azteca has witnessed some of the tournament's most iconic moments, from Maradona's "Hand of God" and 1986 heroics to Pele's all-conquering Brazil side of 1970.

— With additional reporting by the Reuters news agency.

You can watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ live, free and exclusive on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.

---

For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.