Group A

Group A opens on June 11, 2026 with Mexico vs South Africa and closes with the simultaneous final matchday on June 25, 2026. With each side playing three group matches, the calendar uses 6 of the tournament's 16 venues across the three host countries -- matchdays are spread to give every team rest between fixtures and let supporters travel between cities. The FIFA-ranking spread inside Group A is comparatively tight: Mexico are the highest-ranked of the four, but the gap to the rest of the group is small enough that a single result can flip the projection. Tight groups historically swing on opening-day form and the goal-difference column. In the new 48-team format the top two from Group A qualify automatically for the Round of 32. The eight best third-placed teams from the 12 first-round groups also advance, meaning a third-place finish can still be enough -- but the points-and-goal-difference comparison across groups is the tie-breaker, so the final matchday matters to every side, regardless of position.