Mexico vs South Africa: World Cup 2026 UK Time & Schedule
Mexico vs South Africa: Kick-Off Time, Estadio Azteca & Group A Schedule โ FIFA World Cup 2026 (UK Times)
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ FIFA World Cup 2026โข ยท Group A ยท UK Times (BST)
Mexico vs South Africa: Group A Opener at Estadio Azteca
M1 ยท 11 June ยท Estadio Azteca ยท Group A ยท All times in British Summer Time (BST)
2 April 2026 | By Rotina do Lar Team
๐ All times are in British Summer Time (BST = UTC+1), which is active throughout the entire tournament in June and July 2026. The official FIFA kick-off times are published in Eastern Time (ET, UTCโ4). To convert: BST = ET + 5 hours.
3:00 PM ET= 8:00 PM BST
6:00 PM ET= 11:00 PM BST
9:00 PM ET= 2:00 AM BST
โ ๏ธ UK viewing note: Because all Group A matches involving Mexico are played in Mexican venues (CDT, UTCโ5), most of those kick-offs fall between 8:00 PM and 3:00 AM BST. The only Group A match in the United States โ Czechia vs South Africa in Atlanta on 18 June โ starts at a very reasonable 5:00 PM BST.
โน๏ธ Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases made through links in this article, at no additional cost to you.
The opening match of Group A at the 2026 FIFA World Cup sees Mexico face South Africa on 11 June at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Playing on home soil, Mexico starts as the clear favourite; nevertheless, South Africa arrive with genuine ambition after an impressive qualifying campaign. Notably, the two sides also met in the 2010 World Cup opener, drawing 1โ1 in a match that gripped the world, so there is plenty of history between them.
For fans across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the kick-off falls at 8:00 PM BST โ a superb evening slot that requires no alarm setting and fits perfectly into a summer match-night routine. In contrast to many other World Cup fixtures that kick off in the early hours, this opener is genuinely accessible for UK audiences. Moreover, with Scotland also competing at the 2026 World Cup for the first time in decades, British interest in the tournament has never been higher.
Group A is completed by South Korea and Czechia, two sides with considerable World Cup experience between them. Although Mexico are strong favourites as hosts, the group is far from straightforward. In fact, the simultaneous final-day fixtures on 24 June could easily come down to goal difference โ meaning all six group-stage matches carry real significance from the very first whistle.
โฝ FIFA World Cup 2026โข ยท Group AM1 ยท Tournament Opener
Group A of the FIFA World Cup 2026โข โ Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and Czechia
Full Group A Schedule โ 2026 World Cup (UK / BST Times)
Below is the complete Group A fixture list with exact kick-off times in BST. Bear in mind that the final matchday on 24 June features simultaneous kick-offs for both Group A games โ a FIFA rule introduced to prevent tactical score-watching in the closing stages of the group phase.
๐ Thursday, 11 June โ Matchday 1
M1
๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฆ
Mexico vs South Africa Great time โ
Estadio Azteca ยท Mexico City, Mexico
20:00 BST
3:00 PM ET ยท 1:00 PM local
M2
๐ฐ๐ท๐จ๐ฟ
South Korea vs Czechia Late night โ ๏ธ
Estadio Akron ยท Zapopan (Guadalajara), Mexico
03:00 BST
Fri 12 Jun ยท 10:00 PM ET ยท 8:00 PM local
๐ Thursday, 18 June โ Matchday 2
M25
๐จ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฆ
Czechia vs South Africa Great time โ
Mercedes-Benz Stadium ยท Atlanta, Georgia, USA
17:00 BST
12:00 PM ET ยท 12:00 PM local
M28
๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฐ๐ท
Mexico vs South Korea Late night โ ๏ธ
Estadio Akron ยท Zapopan (Guadalajara), Mexico
02:00 BST
Fri 19 Jun ยท 9:00 PM ET ยท 8:00 PM local
๐ Wednesday, 24 June โ Matchday 3 (simultaneous kick-offs)
M53
๐จ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ
Czechia vs Mexico Late night โ ๏ธ
Estadio Azteca ยท Mexico City, Mexico
02:00 BST
Thu 25 Jun ยท 9:00 PM ET ยท 8:00 PM local
M54
๐ฟ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ท
South Africa vs South Korea Late night โ ๏ธ
Estadio BBVA ยท Guadalupe (Monterrey), Mexico
02:00 BST
Thu 25 Jun ยท 9:00 PM ET ยท 8:00 PM local
Where to Watch Group A in the United Kingdom
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be broadcast free-to-air in the United Kingdom, split between the BBC and ITV. Both broadcasters will offer extensive live coverage, highlights, and analysis throughout the tournament. Streaming is available via BBC iPlayer and the ITVX app, meaning you can watch on any device wherever you are in the UK.
๐บ Official UK Broadcasters
BBC OneBBC TwoITV1ITV4BBC iPlayerITVX
All coverage is free-to-air โ no subscription required. Both broadcasters will share rights across the 104 matches.
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