Mexico coach Javier Aguirre says he feels "privileged" to carry the pressure of opening the 2026 FIFA World Cup at home, with El Tri set to face South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday.
Mexico Opens World Cup At Estadio Azteca
The match gives Mexico the first stage of a tournament it is co-hosting with the United States and Canada. ESPN reported that Aguirre spoke on Wednesday, one day before Mexico's Group A opener against South Africa, and framed the assignment as both emotional and demanding.
Aguirre is 67 and played for Mexico at the 1986 World Cup, the last time the country hosted the tournament. Four decades later, he is back at Estadio Azteca in a different role, leading the national team for a third separate time at a World Cup.
The venue adds another layer. Estadio Azteca will become the first stadium to stage matches at three World Cups, having already been part of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments. Mexico reached the quarterfinals in both of those home editions, which sets a useful historical target and a fairly loud comparison.
Aguirre Faces Group A Selection Call
Mexico enter Group A with South Africa, South Korea and Czechia. Aguirre said he had not yet told the squad his starting lineup, while stressing that all 26 players were excited and prepared. He also said he remained confident in the goalkeeper position.
That uncertainty matters because the opener is not just ceremonial. As a co-host, Mexico are expected to begin with authority, especially after their 2022 World Cup ended in the group stage. Home advantage is useful, but it also removes several excuses before the ball is kicked.
Aguirre also learned that Mexico have not won an inaugural World Cup match. His response was blunt: "We have to break that trend." For a coach who has seen Mexico's tournament pressure as a player and manager, that is the kind of line that probably does not need much translation inside the dressing room.
South Africa Begins A Busy Mexico Schedule
After South Africa, Mexico will travel to Guadalajara to play South Korea on June 18. El Tri then return to Estadio Azteca to close the group stage against Czechia on June 24.
The schedule gives Mexico two group matches at its most famous stadium and another in Guadalajara, making this opening run as much about handling expectation as managing opponents. Aguirre's squad does not need to solve the whole tournament on Thursday, but it does need to make the first step look controlled.
For Aguirre, the pressure is personal, national and immediate. Mexico are home, the World Cup is opening, and South Africa are the first test of whether El Tri can turn a historic setting into a practical advantage.