The opening match of the World Cup delivered a rarity in international soccer: three players sent off with red cards.
No World Cup match has had that many players ejected since a 2006 game between Portugal and the Netherlands, when four players received red cards — a World Cup record.
The last World Cup in Qatar in 2022 had only four red cards in the entire tournament.
On Thursday at the Azteca Stadium, Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off for South Africa while César Montes was shown a red card for the tournament co-host.
It’s the first time three players have been sent off in the opening match of a World Cup – and all three were straight red cards, meaning none of the ejected players were given two yellows.
Mexico won the match 2-0.
Sithole was red-carded after taking down Mexico’s Brian Gutierrez on the edge of the box at the start of the second half.
Things got worse for South Africa when Zwane was sent off following a video review for striking Roberto Alvarado in the face in the 84th minute. Finally, in stoppage time, Montes saw red for bringing down Khuliso Mudau.
The red cards mean the three players will be suspended for at least one more match. South Africa’s next match is against the Czech Republic and Mexico next faces South Korea in Guadalajara.
The match between Portugal and the Netherlands at the 2006 World Cup in Germany stands out with its four red cards – two for each team. That game in Nuremberg also had 16 yellow cards.
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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