FIFA World Cup Day 1 recap: Mexico win game of 3 red cards; Haiti change jerseys

Julián Quiñones has written his name into history. ✍️#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/mL58wS6WJC

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 11, 2026

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It took a long time for Mexico to double their lead, even though they had attack after attack in the game. Eventually, Raul Jimenez gave them the cushion of a two-goal lead in the 67th minute.

Roberto Alvarado, who assisted Raul Jimenez’s goal, was quoted by FIFA as saying: “It was a really beautiful feeling, something beyond words, something I had always dreamed of: playing a match of this magnitude, at home, with these fans.”

The talking point from the game was the three red cards shown by referee Wilton Sampaio, one with the help of VAR.

Sampaio sent off South Africa pair Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane before Mexico’s Cesar Montes was also sent home in the 92nd minute when the game was dead and dusted.

Why this is a big deal is that in the last World Cup in 2022, a total of four red cards were shown across 64 games. And in the first game of 2026, that count is already matched.

It was the first time there were three red cards given in the opening match of a World Cup tournament. And it’s the most in a World Cup game since four were handed out when Portugal played the Netherlands at the 2006 tournament in Germany.

History at 17

The game saw some history being made by Gilberto Mora, who at 17 years and 240 days, became the sixth-youngest player to make a World Cup appearance. Mora came in as a second half substitute.

The five men ahead of him are Pele (17 years and 235 days), Salomon Olembe (17 years and 185 days), Femi Opabunmi (17 years and 101 days), Samuel Eto’o (17 years and 99 days) and Norman Whiteside (17 years and 41 days).

Haiti’s jersey red flagged by FIFA

Haiti have had to change their apparel for the FIFA World Cup because their jersey design has been deemed too political by FIFA. This is because the jersey had a depiction of the final battle of the Haitian War of Independence in 1803 on its front.

Haiti midfielder Dominique Simon reacts following an unsuccessful scoring attempt during the second half of an international friendly soccer match against Peru, Friday, June 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo)

The jersey was made by Colombian sportswear manufacturer Saeta. Its claim that the design “was not intended as a political statement,” but rather as a “tribute to the men and women who contribute every day to Haiti’s future” was not accepted by the global governing body of football.

This comes just months after the country had to tweak its Winter Olympic uniforms. The International Olympic Committee had demanded that Haiti remove the image of Haitian founding father Toussaint Louverture from their opening ceremony uniforms for the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

Haiti’s World Cup campaign starts on Saturday against Scotland in Foxborough.

(With inputs from Associated Press)