Hurricane threatens Mexico vs South Africa World Cup opener at Azteca Stadium

A potential hurricane and violent storms loom over the 2026 World Cup opening match scheduled for Thursday at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium between Mexico and South Africa. Meteorologists fear the formation of a hurricane off the Mexican Pacific coast on the very day of kickoff, set for 1 p.m. local time.

The rainy season has already made its mark on the Mexican capital, where heavy rainfall has caused flooding in recent days. An orange weather alert has been issued, and potentially violent storms are expected on match day. According to German newspaper Bild, the combination of these weather phenomena could complicate stadium access for some of the 87,500 spectators expected, in case of disruptions to public transport.

The weather threat is not unique to Mexico: in the United States, a lightning strike detected within a 13-kilometer radius of a venue automatically triggers a match suspension, a protocol that could affect several tournament matches.

The opening ceremony, scheduled 90 minutes before kickoff, will feature Shakira and Burna Boy performing Dai Dai, the official World Cup song, accompanied by other Latin American artists.

The Mexican evening will continue with the second Group A match, South Korea vs Czechia, scheduled in Guadalajara, 540 kilometers northwest of Mexico City. Two other opening ceremonies are planned Friday in Toronto and Los Angeles, before Canada faces Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United States takes on Paraguay.