The Men’s World Cup begins Thursday with co-host Mexico playing South Africa in the tournament’s opening match at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Multiple outlets describe the start as part of the largest World Cup in tournament history, with Mexico hosting the match before a reported crowd of around 80,000 fans. CBS News and PBS NewsHour similarly say the tournament officially gets underway with Mexico vs South Africa in Mexico City. Daily Sabah adds that Mexico takes an early lead in the game, aligning with reports that the match starts with Mexico pressing offensively. France 24 places the opening match in a broader context, noting that Africa sends the most teams it has ever had to the tournament and mentioning a separate development involving the repatriation of hundreds of Nigerians amid escalating anti-immigrant unrest in South Africa. While outlets focus on different accompanying stories—such as global viewership expectations and regional context—the central point across coverage is that the World Cup kickoff features Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City.