Mexico vs. South Africa Prediction, Odds, Best Prop Bet for World Cup Group Stage

The long wait is finally over! The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off today with a match between Mexico and South Africa.

All four teams in Group A will be competing today, but it's Mexico City, one of three North American hosts, that will be the first to take the field.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for this tournament-opening match.

Mexico vs. South Africa Odds and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

3-Way Moneyline

Mexico -245
South Africa +750
Draw +360

Total

OVER 2.5 (+115)
UNDER 2.5 (-145)

Mexico vs. South Africa How to Watch

Date: Thursday, June 11
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Banorte
How to Watch (TV): Fox/Tele/Peacock
Mexico record: 0-0-0
South Africa record: 0-0-0

Mexico vs. South Africa World Cup History

The last time these two countries faced each other was in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Mexico

Mexico's best finish at the World Cup is a quarter-final appearance in both 1970 and 1986. They were tournament hosts both of those years. They failed to get past the group stage in 2022 in Qatar.

South Africa

This is the first time South Africa will be competing in the World Cup since hosting it in 2010. They have appeared in three World Cups in their competitive history. They have never made it past the group stage.

Mexico vs. South Africa Best Prop Bet

Raul Jimenez Anytime Goalscorer +150

In today's edition of my World Cup Best Bets Today, I broke down why I'm betting on Mexico's top striker to score:

Raúl Jiménez, the 35-year-old Mexican striker, is the heart and soul of this Mexico squad, and in the opening match in Mexico City, it makes too much sense for him to find the back of the net. He has scored 45 goals in 124 appearances for Mexico in his career, and he's now as motivated as ever after suffering through an injury in the 2022 World Cup that kept him in a bench role throughout the tournament.

Mexico will face South Africa in its opener, a team that's not exactly known for having a stout defensive front. South Africa has allowed its opponents to score at least one goal in five of its last six matches.

Jiminez scoring in the opening match would be an emotional moment for all of Mexico. Instead of laying the -260 price tag on Mexico to win this match, I'm going to back their star striker to score at +150.

Mexico vs. South Africa Prediction and Pick

If there's one North American team that's going to enjoy a true home-field advantage in this year's World Cup, it's Mexico. Not only do they have the most passionate fans, but they're competing at 7,300 feet. I don't expect any of their opponents to be used to competing at that high of altitude.

They have a favorable opening match against a bad South Africa team, so if you don't want to lay the -245 price tag on Mexico, feel free to get a bit more aggressive. You can back them at plus money for them to win by at least two goals. That's the way I'll lean for Thursday afternoon.

Pick: Mexico -1.5 (+125) via DraftKings

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!

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