Throughout the tournament, Flashscore will bring you the best from the tournament in our World Cup highlights each and every day, so you don't miss a moment of the action.
The headlines
Strikes from Hwang In-Beom and substitute Oh Hyeon-Gyu saw South Korea start their campaign with a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in Guadalajara.
In-Beom opened the scoring with a tap-in midway through the second half, only to see the Czechs level soon after as they used their deadliest weapon - Ladislav Krejci at set-pieces.
The captain, who scored from set plays in both play-off wins, was on hand once more to head home a Vladimir Coufal throw-in from close range.
But the Koreans, who, across the encounter, were the better side, had Hyeon-Gyu to thank for all three points as he deftly chipped Matej Kovar to settle the tie.
Earlier on in the day, Mexico got their campaign off to the perfect start on home soil with a 2-0 victory over South Africa in a contest punctuated with three red cards.
Goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez earned the hosts all three points, but the biggest talking points were the dismissals from Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio. The first, given to South Africa’s Yaya Sithole for denying a goalscoring opportunity, was warranted; however, the second and third were far more egregious from the officials.
Given it was the first game of the tournament, it could set a precedent that referees are being harsher with their cards.
To put the red card fest into perspective, across the whole of the 2022 World Cup, there were four dismissals; we've had three already.
Player of the day
Using Flashscore's new-and-improved player rating system, Lee Kang-In of South Korea was our player of the day.
The PSG forward was at his skilful best in Guadalajara, with five dribbles completed as well as 10 out of 14 duels won, and he was at the heart of everything good for the Koreans.
He also assisted their first goal with a sumptuous cross into the path of In-Beom to finish.
Goal of the day
It may not have been the most spectacular goal you will ever see, but Jimenez's headed effort for Mexico was certainly the most emotional.
The 35-year-old, who announced a day before the opener that he would be heading back to Wolves, was visibly in tears during his celebration, pointing to the sky in tribute to his late father.
It was also his first-ever World Cup goal, made even more important by the fact it came on home soil.
Fan(s) of the day
The atmosphere inside the Mexico City Stadium - more affectionately known as Estadio Azteca - was incredible, giving this controversial World Cup the shot in the arm it needed. With a partisan crowd in attendance, it didn’t take long for the first 'Mexican Wave' to be seen inside the ground, but the image of their nation embracing after Quinones’ opener will be what lives long in the memory.
It’s a shame, then, that this iconic World Cup venue will not see a game past the round of 16.
Best from social media
South Africa may have lost their opening game of the World Cup, but they certainly began in style. They brought their rhythm and moves to the Azteca on their arrival.
FIFA World Cup 2026
The 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will feature 48 national teams and will be played in 16 modern stadiums.
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