South Africa’s campaign at the World Cup 2026 got off to the worst possible start as they were beaten by co-hosts Mexico and ended the match with nine men following two straight red cards.

Both came in the second half with Bafana Bafana already losing 1-0 thanks to Julian Quinones’ goal in the eight minute of the game. Sphephelo ‘Yaya’ Sithole was the first player to be dismissed after catching Brian Gutierrez on the edge of the South African penalty area and denying a goal scoring opportunity.

That decision was a clear one but the second red card, which came in the 84th minute, was more controversial.

As Mexico looked to work their way into the box from the left wing, South Africa’s Themba Zwane got into a grappling contest with Roberto Alvarado. Zwane came round the back of the Mexican and forced his left arm into the face of Alvarado who went to ground clutching his head.

Referee Wilton Sampaio was called over to the pitchside monitor by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and asked to look at replays of the incident.

He saw a slap from Zwane, which became clearer from the referee’s body cam footage later, and decided that the South African deserved a red card for violent conduct.

This was the first time a team had received two red cards in a World Cup match since Portugal and Netherlands both had two players dismissed against each other in the 2006 round of 16.

“I think the decision is extremely harsh,” claimed Ally McCoist on ITV’s coverage of the game with the commentator describing Zwane’s movement as natural from the position he was in.

In the US coverage of the game, former USMNT star Landon Donovan had a similar outlook and said: “That’s a harsh red card, I can’t see that being a red card.”

However, that wasn’t the final moment of controversy as Mexico found themselves reduced to 10-men in the dying stages of the match.

Left-back Cesar Montes cynically stopped a darting run from Khuliso Mudau as he attempted to drive into the penalty area from the right. Montes stuck out a leg and brough Mudau to ground and was amazed as the referee pulled out a third straight red card of the game.

ITV’s American rules analyst and VAR expert, Christina Unkel, explained that there wasn’t clear evidence for VAR to decide that the referee had made a mistake and, as such, Montes was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity.

This was the seventh time there have been three or more red cards in a World Cup game and the first time in an opener.

All three players, Sithole, Zwane and Montes will now miss their nation’s next match but Fifa holds the right to extend the ban or add any other sanctions to the ban if they deem necessary.

That means that Sithole and Zwane will miss the next match against Czechia on June 18 and Montes will be unavailable for Mexico’s game against South Korea on June 19.

Mexico striker Julián Quiñones made history on Thursday by scoring the first goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the host nation took an early lead against South Africa in the tournament’s opening match.

The 29-year-old forward found the net in the ninth minute at the famous Estadio Azteca after taking advantage of a defensive mistake. He calmly struck the ball from the edge of the penalty area, leaving South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams with no chance.

His goal became the first scored in the newly expanded 48-team World Cup, which is being hosted by Mexico, United States and Canada.

Mexico began the match strongly and controlled much of the early play in front of a passionate home crowd. Veteran striker Raúl Jiménez nearly opened the scoring in the fifth minute, but Williams produced an excellent save to keep South Africa level.

However, the pressure eventually paid off. Four minutes later, Quiñones seized on a costly error by the South African defence and confidently fired home to send the stadium into celebration.

The strike instantly secured Quiñones a place in World Cup history as the first goalscorer of the 2026 tournament.

South Africa tried to fight back and enjoyed spells of possession, but they struggled to break down Mexico’s organised defence.

The game also became more physical as both teams battled for control in midfield. South Africa midfielder Teboho Mokoena received a yellow card in the 17th minute for a late challenge, while Mexico’s Brian Gutiérrez was also booked six minutes later.

For Quiñones, it was a moment he will never forget, as his name became the first to be written into the record books of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

At the hallowed Azteca Stadium, Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy had the spectators out of their seats in the opening ceremony for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday ahead of the opening match between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa. The 48-team tournament is also being hosted by the United States and Canada and will feature 104 games, culminating in the final in New Jersey on July 19. Dancers twirled around a giant model of the World Cup trophy while fireworks went off in the historic 80,000-capacity stadium which hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals and has been renovated for this year’s tournament.

In the highlight of the ceremony, Colombian star Shakira and Burna Boy performed “Dai Dai”, the official song of the tournament, bringing roars from the crowd.

J Balvin and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli were among the other performers before kickoff as the noise levels ramped up.

“It’s already a party in Mexico,” Ingrid Orozco, a 40-year-old supporter, told AFP. “It’s amazing,” said Gustavo Ramírez, 19.

While there was a festive atmosphere inside the stadium, there were chaotic scenes in the centre of Mexico City where thousands of fans pushed and shoved as they attempted to enter the official World Cup fan zone shortly before the 1800 GMT kickoff.

Access to the fan zone in Zocala plaza was hampered by metal barriers erected in recent days to prevent protesting teachers reaching the area.

“Stop pushing and shoving, there are children here, you’re like animals!” a city official shouted through a megaphone as he tried to control access to the venue where the opening game was to be shown on a giant screen.

Some fans threw water bottles and hurled insults at police as well as chanting in support of the Mexican team. 

“It’s crazy,” said Javier Maciel, a 25-year-old fan. “There could have been better organization.”

The local government announced on social media that the site was “full” and suggested fans go to other plazas.

President Claudia Sheinbaum had been expected to watch the game at the fan zone but cast doubt on her presence following days of protests in the area by teachers demanding pay rises.

With AFP inputs

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South Africa have never qualified to the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup. ‘Bafana Bafana’ came very close in both the 2002 and 2010 editions, but narrowly missed out. This time, though, they will fancy their chances. With the World Cup expanded to 48 teams, the knockout stage will now begin with the Round of 32. This means that not just the top two of each group, but also the eight best third-placed teams will qualify.

With Mexico, Czechia and South Korea in Group A, it is certainly not an impossible task for South Africa.

IRVINE, Calif. – “Anything could’ve happened in that moment, to be honest,” U.S. men’s national team midfielder Tyler Adams acknowledged.

Two nights before the team’s all-encompassing, high-stakes World Cup journey on home soil would begin, Adams was glued to a big screen at the team’s hotel near the southern California coastline. He was surrounded by a group of his teammates, each of whom erupted as the New York Knicks completed a 29-game comeback against the San Antonio Spurs and put themselves one game away from winning the NBA Finals for the first time in more than five decades. No one celebrated harder than Adams, though.

“I blacked out within it all,” he recalled the next morning.

Amidst the joyous chaos was a hint of worry – much like the USMNT faithful watching the video, his teammates were hoping one of the team’s most vital players did not get injured during the sequence. He arrived for Thursday’s training, their final one before Friday’s World Cup opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, in one piece and took part in a full training session.

The New York state native has been vocally following the Knicks’ run as early as the USMNT’s World Cup roster reveal event on May 26, the day after they swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. He said, though, he’s been a part of the Knicks’ long-suffering fanbase for some time.

“I have group chats with me and my boys from back home growing up and we’ve always been Knicks fans and we’ve never been this close, so it’s exciting,” he said.

The length of time that Adams has been a Knicks fan, though, is possibly up for debate – his teammate Weston McKennie said at the roster reveal that “behind closed doors, he’s not a Knicks fan,” something Adams called a “wild statement” at the time. Though several members of the U.S. team hail from the New York area or are rooting for the Knicks without geographical ties, Adams said there are a handful of haters in the group – not that he minds.

“Brenden Aaronson. The worst,” Adams said of the Philadelphia Union academy product and local sports fan. “He’s a Sixers fan. He can’t say anything. Haji Wright, big hater right now but I love all that energy. It’s good.”

Adams, though, is hoping the Knicks’ impressive run offers a bit of inspiration for a U.S. team hoping to capture the nation’s attention in the same way.

“It’s pretty captivating,” he said. “I think them kind of being the underdog coming out of the east and doing something special as they’re doing right now, I mean, I take inspiration, but I’m a New York Knicks fan, not everyone’s a New York Knicks fans.”

The USMNT open their World Cup on Friday against Paraguay and will continue group stage play against Australia on June 19 and Turkiye on June 25.

Japan international Wataru Endo has announced his retirement from international football, with a persistent foot injury ruling the Liverpool midfielder out of the World Cup.

The problem first emerged during a match against Sunderland on 11 February, marking his final club appearance of the season.

Despite playing 45 minutes in a 1-0 World Cup warm-up victory over Iceland, his recovery has not progressed as hoped.

Writing on X, Endo conveyed his mixed emotions.

“I will be leaving the World Cup squad. Since my injury, I’ve done everything I could, so I have no regrets,” he stated. “Of course I’m frustrated at not being able to participate in this World Cup.”

He added: “But more than that, I’m proud to have led this team as captain since the Qatar World Cup and to see it grow into a group that can naturally talk about the goal of winning the World Cup.”

Concluding, Endo confirmed: “With this action, I will be retiring from the national team. From now on, I’ll continue to support the Japan national team as a fan alone.”

Japan are due to play their first match of the tournament when they face the Netherlands on Sunday.

They will be hoping to make a positive start without Endo, and showed their undoubted quality by beating England 1-0 in a friendly at Wembley back in March.

Japan are also in the same group as Sweden and Tunisia as they set their sights on reaching the knockout stages.

They have reached the round of 16 in the last two editions of the World Cup, and came through a difficult group four years ago that contained Spain and Germany.

Japan are yet to make it to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Image credit: Manu Bhaker’s X handle

NEW DELHI: Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker will compete in two events at the upcoming Asian Games after being named in India’s 30-member shooting squad announced by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Thursday.The Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with India aiming to build on its strong showing at the previous edition in Hangzhou.Manu secured her place in the women’s 25m pistol event by finishing second in the selection trials. She was also included in the women’s 10m air pistol event despite finishing seventh in the latest trials, with selectors backing her experience and proven ability to perform on the biggest stages.Besides Manu, three other shooters have been selected for two events — Vidarsa K. Vinod (women’s 10m air rifle and 50m rifle 3 positions), former world champion Rudrankksh Patil (men’s 10m air rifle and 50m rifle 3 positions), and Esha Singh (women’s 10m air pistol and 25m pistol).A notable decision by the NRAI was to field only one shooter, Anish Bhanwala, in the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol event. While most events will feature three Indian shooters competing for both individual and team medals, the federation decided against filling all available spots in rapid-fire pistol.“While all selected athletes successfully cleared the stringent qualification slots laid down by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the final roster stands at 30 athletes (15 Men and 15 Women) due to strict dynamic quota caps enforced by the Games’ Organising Committee,” said an NRAI statement.The Sports Ministry’s guidelines state that only athletes with realistic medal prospects should be selected for the Asian Games.“Following extensive deliberations and a detailed event-wise assessment, the Committee identified a select group of athletes capable of competing across multiple disciplines. This strategic approach enables India to maximise participation across all available events while maintaining the strongest possible medal prospects in both individual and team competitions,” the NRAI statement added.NRAI secretary general Pawankumar Singh said the federation had chosen the strongest squad possible.“We have selected the best team possible,” Singh told PTI.“The most significant decision was in the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol event, where we have chosen not to send a full team. We are targeting only the individual medal event because we could not identify enough shooters with realistic medal prospects to field a team,” he said.Explaining Manu’s inclusion in two events, Singh added: “We could select only 30 shooters — 15 men and 15 women. Yes, Manu is currently ranked seventh after the recent 10m air pistol trials, but considering her experience and ability to perform in finals, she was the best option for inclusion in both the 10m and 25m pistol events.”“Her (Manu’s) ranking may be seventh in the 10m air pistol, but the gap in scores between her and those ranked above her is not significant,” he said.The squad was finalised during a selection committee meeting in Dehradun on June 8.NRAI president Kalikesh Singh Deo said the depth of talent in Indian shooting made the selection process particularly challenging.“Selecting this team was a challenging task given the exceptional depth and quality of talent in Indian shooting today. The final squad reflects the strength, depth and versatility of Indian shooting. We are confident that this team will represent India with distinction and make the nation proud in Aichi-Nagoya.”Squad: Rifle (Men) — 10m air rifle: Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, Rudrankksh Patil. 50m rifle 3-positions: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Niraj Kumar, Rudrankksh Patil. (Women) 10m air rifle: Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Uttam Maskar, Vidarsa K Vinod. 50m rifle 3-positions: Ashi Chouksey, Vidarsa K Vinod, Tilottama Sen. (10m air rifle mixed team) Parth Rakesh Mane and Elavenil Valarivan.Pistol (Men) — 10m air pistol: Kedarling B. Uchaganve, Gaurav, Kamaljeet. 25m rapid fire: Anish Bhanwala. (Women) 10m air pistol: Suruchi, Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker. 25m sports pistol: Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker, Rahi Sarnobat. (10m air pistol mixed team) Kedarling B. Uchaganve and Suruchi.Shotgun: (Men) — Trap: Kynan Chenai, Ahvar Rizvi, Shapath Bharadwaj. (Women) Neeru, Manisha Keer, Aashima Ahlawat. Skeet (Men) Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, Mairaj Ahmad Khan. (Women) Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan.

Just weeks after overcoming Junto Nakatani in a historic all-Japanese showdown, Naoya Inoue is being strongly linked with another ‘inevitable’ rivalry.

A four-division world champion, Inoue is currently considered to be boxing’s pound-for-pound number one, with last month’s triumph over Nakatani regarded as a career-best win that cements his position in the top spot.

Whilst many fans have want to see ‘The Monster’ move up in weight once more in an attempt to conquer as many divisions as possible, plenty are now instead hoping that he pumps the brakes and sticks around at 122lbs for a while longer.

That is because of a potential super-fight with former unified super-flyweight world champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, who steps up to bantamweight on Saturday but is willing to then venture up once more in pursuit of Inoue.

Speaking to Ring Magazine, Rodriguez maintained that he is focused on this weekend’s clash with WBA bantamweight world champion Antonio Vargas, but admitted that a meeting with Inoue feels ‘inevitable’.

“To be honest, no [I am not thinking about the Naoya Inoue fight]. Like I say, one fight at a time. I am staying focussed on Antonio Vargas but I know that, when that Inoue fight does happen, the fans are in for a great night of boxing.

“People are already talking about that fight so much that it is inevitable at this point and I feel like, when the time comes, it is going to be a great fight – probably one of the best fights in all of boxing history.”

Vargas vs. Rodriguez takes place at the Desert Diamond Arena on June 13, as ‘Bam’ seeks to capture world honours in a third division and tee up one of the biggest bouts in boxing.

Nigerian music icon Davido used one of football’s biggest global platforms to shine a spotlight on a national tragedy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles.

While fans at the event celebrated performances from some of the world’s biggest music stars ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido’s appearance carried a message far beyond entertainment.

The Grammy-nominated Afrobeats star performed wearing a custom black leather jacket bearing the names of 39 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria.

On the back of the jacket was a simple but powerful message:

“Bring Them Home.”

The gesture immediately attracted attention across social media, with many Nigerians praising Davido for using a global stage to raise awareness about the victims.

A message beyond music

Davido thrilled the crowd with performances of some of his biggest hits, including fan favourites Fall and Unavailable, during the FIFA event.

Yet it was the jacket—not the music—that became one of the biggest talking points of the night.

Images from the concert quickly spread online, revealing dozens of green badges attached to the jacket, each representing one of the abducted pupils and teachers.

Many observers described the move as a reminder that the victims’ stories should not be forgotten despite the passage of time.

At a moment when the world’s attention is turning toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido used that spotlight to highlight an issue affecting families thousands of miles away in Nigeria.

Bringing a local tragedy to a global audience

The FIFA World Cup Countdown Concert was held as part of celebrations marking one year until the start of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Performing alongside international acts, Davido was one of the headline attractions representing Africa on the global stage.

Rather than simply delivering a musical performance, the Nigerian star chose to turn the occasion into an opportunity for advocacy.

For many Nigerians, the jacket served as a reminder of the pain endured by families whose children and loved ones remain victims of abduction and insecurity.

Why the gesture resonated

Football and music have long been powerful tools for raising awareness about social issues.

From anti-racism campaigns to humanitarian causes, major sporting events often provide a platform for messages that extend beyond the game itself.

Davido’s decision to wear the jacket at a FIFA event followed that tradition.

The gesture was particularly significant because it came in front of an international audience at an event designed to celebrate the world’s most popular sporting competition.

Instead of allowing the countdown to the World Cup to be solely about football, Davido ensured that millions of people were also reminded of a humanitarian issue affecting families in Nigeria.

A moment that transcended entertainment

As anticipation builds for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido’s performance will be remembered not only for the music but also for the message.

The singer had the opportunity to entertain a global audience.

Instead, he chose to do more.

By wearing the names of 39 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers on his jacket and carrying the message “Bring Them Home,” Davido transformed a World Cup celebration into a call for awareness, compassion and action.

And for many Nigerians watching around the world, that may have been the most powerful performance of the night.

JJ Gabriel is putting in the work ahead of his anticipated Manchester United senior bow under Michael Carrick

Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel could have a big part to play in pre-season and is trying to give Michael Carrick no choice but to give him minutes.

The wonderkid, who doesn’t turn 16 until October, will be eligible to play Premier League football next term and has shown a willingness to put in the hard yards as he chases senior minutes even sooner than that.

United manager Carrick will be without a number of senior stars in July thanks to World Cup commitments. The first pre-season friendly will take place in Helsinki on July 18, with Wrexham the opposition.

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Players not travelling to the World Cup will be expected back in training even earlier than that and Gabriel will be among them. The teenager trained with the first team under Carrick and his predecessor Ruben Amorim and a senior bow isn’t thought to be too far away.

Gabriel’s father Joe O’Cearuill shared a number of videos on social media, showing the teenager doing strength and speed work at the gym and on the training ground. “JJ 12min kick ups with tennis ball walk to gym,” the caption read, with one of a collage of four videos showing the kick-ups in question.

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Fans seemed impressed upon watching the footage. “What a player he’s going to be for United, hopefully he will have a statue one day,” one wrote in reply to O’Cearuill’s post.

“I don’t care about the packaging, just work ethic that makes me say this. If he has good people around him who value privacy, he’ll go on to challenge for Ballon d’Or,” wrote another.

Gabriel isn’t the only United academy talent putting in work this summer. Kai Rooney saw his 2025/26 season disrupted by injury but is doing what he can to be ready to get going again next term, sharing a gym photo which indicated he has been adding muscle ahead of pre-season.

Carrick will have plenty of time to watch United’s youngsters in action as he prepares for his first pre-season campaign as manager. The Wrexham friendly is the first of six pre-season games over the course of a month before last season’s third-place finishers kick off their 2026/27 campaign.

None of those six matches will take place at Old Trafford. After the trip to Helsinki there’s an away game against Rosenborg in Norway, followed by matches on neutral territory against Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and AC Milan.