South Africa face Mexico in the opening game of the 2026 World Cup at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The Estadio Azteca is one of the most historic venues in football, having hosted the World Cup finals in 1970 and 1986.
Meanwhile, South Africa vs Mexico is a memorable fixture, as it was also the opening game at the 2010 World Cup.
The African nation, known as Bafana Bafana , has not participated in football's greatest tournament since 2010.
However, they appeared to be relishing their return to the World Cup when they arrived at the stadium on Thursday.
Photo by Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP via Getty Images
The South African players and staff did not appear to be feeling the pressure ahead of their Group A game against Mexico.
They arrived at the Estadio Azteca a few hours before kick-off, and were clearly in a joyful mood, singing and dancing together.
Their entrance was nothing like the in-the-zone expressions you would expect from England or another of the European contenders.
But besides competing for the Jules Rimet trophy, showcasing different cultures on the global stage is what the World Cup is all about.
Football fans will be hoping that South Africa continue to have fun on the pitch despite being one of the tournament's underdogs.
Mexico are by far their hardest opponent on paper, meaning it is far from a must-win game at the Estadio Azteca.
With eight third-placed teams advancing to the knockout rounds, Bafana Bafana may only need one win from three games.
Whether that comes against Mexico, Czechia or South Korea remains to be seen, but they will certainly have plenty of support from fans around the world.
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