{"id":12005,"date":"2026-06-11T14:15:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T08:45:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slsports.lk\/?p=12005"},"modified":"2026-06-11T14:16:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T08:46:01","slug":"world-cup-2026-to-kick-off-with-mexico-vs-south-africa-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/slsports.lk\/si\/world-cup-2026-to-kick-off-with-mexico-vs-south-africa-opener\/","title":{"rendered":"World Cup 2026 to kick off with Mexico vs South Africa opener"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the biggest tournament in world football history, officially begins today. The 48-nation tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and will feature 104 matches.<br>Hosts Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match of the tournament at the historic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The match is part of Group A, which also includes South Korea and the Czech Republic.<br>Mexico will be hoping to start the tournament with a win in front of tens of thousands of fans at home, and their head coach Hugo Bruce has said that South Africa is ready to challenge them.<br>The second match today will be between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, and that match will also be an important match in Group A.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the biggest tournament in world football history, officially begins today. The 48-nation tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and will feature 104 matches.Hosts Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match of the tournament at the historic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. 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