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Co-hosts Mexico take on South Korea in Group A today, as the World Cup returns to Guadalajara.
Both teams won their opening group game, with Mexico easing past South Africa and South Korea beating Czech Republic.
It means that victory for either side today will guarantee a place in the knockout stage.
Follow along for the latest news, analysis, play-by-play and more from our team of writers.
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The three-way theming does not end with the mascots at this world cup — the shiny new Adidas Trionda ball also gets a colour scheme to reflect our trio of hosts.
Blue (USA), green (Mexico) and red (Canada) adorn the ball with stars, maple leafs and eagle patterns stencilled on them to really distinguish the identities of the three nations.
The swooping panels are pretty fun, too. As for the name? ‘Trionda’ stands for three (tri) waves (onda).
As you might expect given we have three hosts for this World Cup, we also get three mascots!
And they are considerably more fun than some of the recent efforts from men’s World Cup hosts.
Representing Canada is Maple the moose, for the USA it’s Clutch the bald eagle and for Mexico it’s Zayu the jaguar.
All three represent their countries by wearing the colours of their respective national kits, which is good fun. Which is your favorite?
Manager Javier Aguirre told reporters in September that he preferred Mexico to play in a frenetic style rather than dominate possession. While former boss Gerardo Martino prepared the team to defend with the ball, Aguirre shifted their tactics to be more focused on quick combination play in midfield and transition moments. That style is more typical of a Mexican national team.
In winning both Concacaf’s Nations League and Gold Cup tournaments in 2025, Aguirre’s stamp on the side began to develop — but tactically, Mexico tends to fall into spells of ponderous and often risk-averse football.
The expectation was pride and a home crowd would elevate them when the World Cup began, and that was on display against South Africa in their opening game.
The World Cup has a long and storied history dating back to 1930.
A win earns you immortality as a player or manager in your home country — as well as the honour of wearing a star above the national crest on the team jersey.
It’s safe to say some countries have had more success, and wear more stars, than others at the tournament. Here are all the past winners.
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 5: Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
🏆🏆🏆🏆 4: Italy (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006), Germany* (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
🏆🏆🏆 3: Argentina (1978, 1986, 2022)
🏆🏆 2: Uruguay (1930, 1950), France (1998, 2018)
🏆 1: England (1966), Spain (2010)
*First three won as West Germany
We are witnessing something new at this World Cup: a 48-team tournament for the first time. It ends a 24-year run of 32-team World Cups dating back to 1998.
That affects the tournament schedule, as it means we have a group stage consisting of 12 groups of four teams, followed by the following knockout stages: round of 32, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
At the end of the group stage, the top two teams in each group will automatically progress to the knockouts — as well as the eight third-placed teams with the best group record.
For those hoping to be crowned world champions, it means winning one more match than in the past, with eight games rather than seven standing between them and the famous trophy.
As a reminder, the World Cup began on Thursday, June 11 and runs until the final on Sunday, July 19.
It will follow the usual phases of the group stage followed by knockout rounds until we have our eventual winner.
There will be a total of 104 matches played across the tournament.
At Canteritos El Guero in the town of Tequila, Jalisco – a popular gathering spot for locals and tourists – a group of friends mingles with strangers, dancing to the sound of live banda music. Many of the men are wearing jeans and charros, a sombrero similar to a cowboy hat that is an emblem of Mexican identity.
Locals repeat a line about Guadalajara that will resonate as the city hosts four matches during the 2026 World Cup: There is no city in Mexico more Mexican than Guadalajara, they say proudly.
The nation’s capital may have hosted the inaugural match of 2026 World Cup at the famed Estadio Azteca, but the land of mariachis and tequila can shine even brighter.
GO FURTHER
Guadalajara, ‘the most Mexican’ city, eyes its next World Cup moment
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Today’s contest will be broadcast on Fox in the United States and the BBC in the UK.
You can also stream the game on Fubo (try for free).
Today’s match between Mexico and South Korea will begin at 9pm ET, which is a 6pm PT and an 2am BST for those of you watching in the United Kingdom.
And it’s a 7pm start in Zapopan, near Guadalajara.
Hello and welcome to The Athletic’s live coverage of this Group A match between Mexico and South Korea in Guadalajara.
Both two teams are coming off wins in their first match at the 2026 World Cup, with Mexico easing past South Africa 2-0 and South Korea eeking out a 2-1 win over Czech Republic.
Both squads are well positioned to make it out of the group — and a win for either side today would guarantee it.
Stay tuned for the latest news, analysis, play-by-play and more from our team of writers.
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