Mexico kicked off the 2026 World Cup with a win over South Africa at a packed Azteca Stadium in a match that saw three players sent off, according to Yahoo Sports.
Raul Jimenez scored his first World Cup goal for Mexico, capping a remarkable comeback from a skull fracture suffered in 2020 and the loss of his father in March, CBS Sports reported.
Alphonso Davies will miss Canada's World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina, leaving the team without its captain for a historic home-stage test as they seek the first World Cup win in team history.
Japan captain Wataru Endo was ruled out of the World Cup with a broken foot and announced his international retirement, saying he was proud to have captained the team since the Qatar World Cup and helped it grow into a group targeting a World Cup win.
Mauricio Pochettino confirmed all 26 US players are available for selection and preached relaxation ahead of the USMNT's debut, having learned tough lessons from a fourth-place finish at the 2025 Concacaf Nations League and March friendly defeats to Belgium and Portugal by a 7-2 aggregate.