MEXICO CITY/TORONTO/INGLEWOOD June 13, 2026 — The three host nations of the 2026 FIFA World Cup got their campaigns off to strong starts, remaining unbeaten in their opening Group Stage matches of the expanded 48-team tournament.
Mexico launched the competition with a commanding 2-0 victory over South Africa in the tournament opener at Estadio Azteca on June 11. Julián Quiñones scored the first goal of the 2026 World Cup in the 9th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error. Raúl Jiménez added a second-half header in the 67th minute to seal the win. The match was notable for its physicality, with three red cards issued — two to South African players and one to Mexico’s César Montes late on.
Canada followed on June 12, earning a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto. Cyle Larin equalized in the 78th minute after Edin Džeko’s side had taken an early lead through Miralem Pjanić or a teammate (reports confirm Lukić’s 21st-minute strike). The result gave the Canadians a valuable point in Group B despite facing a tough opponent.
The United States delivered the most emphatic performance of the hosts, thrashing Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. An own goal by Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla in the 7th minute opened the scoring. Folarin Balogun then netted a brace (31st and 45+5th minutes), with the second a clinical finish assisted by Christian Pulisic. Paraguay pulled one back through Maurício in the 73rd minute, but substitute Gio Reyna capped the night with a stunning long-range strike in the 90+8th minute. Balogun was named Man of the Match in a dominant display.
The official FIFA World Cup account celebrated the results with a graphic highlighting the co-hosts’ strong home-soil performances: Mexico 2-0, Canada 1-1, and USA 4-1.
With the group stage still in its early days, all three North American nations have set positive tones. Mexico leads Group A with a clean sheet, Canada has a point in Group B, and the USA has made a statement in Group D. Fans and analysts are buzzing about the potential for deep runs by the hosts in what promises to be a historic tournament.
More matches continue throughout the weekend as the 2026 FIFA World Cup builds momentum across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
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