Soccer
The best opening games from past World Cup tournaments
FIFA+: World Cup archive & programmes FREE on DAZN
The wait is finally over; it's World Cup 2026 day one, where tonight co-hosts Mexico will open proceedings against South Africa as the tournament truly gets underway.
It's the first of 104 games that's set to take place over the next six weeks, in what is the biggest-ever finals and it will be Mexico who'll be looking to set a marker down on home soil.
Opening games are always one of excitement and intrigue, but where will tonight's rank among some of the best in World Cup history? DAZN News looks back at the most memorable curtain raisers.
World Cup 2022 best goals
Featuring Brazil, Mexico, Cameroon, France
Argentina 0-1 Cameroon, 1990
Perhaps the most famous opening day fixture in World Cup history, and still one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.
It saw reigning champions Argentina, with Diego Maradona still in tow, take on competition debutants Cameroon in what was expected to be a comfortable first game for the holders.
The Africans had other ideas though, and in a feisty encounter frustrated the favourites before delivering a killer blow.
François Omam-Biyik etched his name into World Cup folklore with a second-half header that saw Cameroon pull off a famous win.
France 0-1 Senegal, 2002
Twelve years later and history repeated itself in the same scenario, but this time it was France who were embarrassed by African opposition.
The French were both World Cup holders and European champions going into the game and were heavily fancied to make it three in a row in Japan and South Korea.
However, Papa Bouba Diop's goal saw Senegal win their first-ever game at a major finals and pull of the biggest win in the country's history.
It was a victory that set in motion a France implosion as they exited the competition at the first hurdle by finishing bottom of the group.
Germany 4-2 Costa Rica, 2006
Opening games often have a cagey feel to them, but in 2006 hosts Germany and Costa Rica gave us a rip-roaring start to the tournament with a goalfest in Munich.
Philip Lahm opened the scoring with an underappreciated thunderbolt before Miroslav Klose did what he always did at World Cups by scoring a brace.
Premier League cult hero Paulo Wanchope twice threatened to make a game of it, with two goals for Costa Rica, before Torsten Frings settled the game.
The entertainment had well and truly begun.
South Africa 1-1 Mexico, 2010
Tonight's opponents actually met in the opening game 16 years ago, when the roles were reversed in Africa.
The first tournament on the continent was hosted by Bafana-Bafana, and it began with a goal from Siphiwe Tshabalala, much to the Vuvuzela-ring delight of the home fans.
Rafa Marquez's second half saw the two sides each take a point in what was a seminal moment for African football.
Qatar 0-2 Ecuador, 2022
Four years ago, FIFA broke new ground once again with the World Cup in Qatar, but the opener made it's own slice of history.
Ecuador's victory over the Middle Eastern side meant it was the first time the tournament's host had lost the opening game.
Enner Valencia's double ensured it was a winning start for the South Americans in what was the first-ever finals held during the winter months.
Watch World Cup archive, highlights and documentaries for FREE on DAZN
DAZN is the home of FIFA+ , a vast library of football on-demand content including World Cup archive, iconic documentaries, player profiles, live matches and both full match replays and highlights.
Watch it all for FREE on DAZN on smart TVs, phones, tablets, streaming devices, games consoles and web browsers.
