World Cup 2026 opening day takeaways: Red cards, VAR and hydration breaks

Published 12 June 2026 · sports

From criticism over mandated water breaks to red cards galore, here’s all the key takeaways from the opening day of the 2026 World Cup. Five

From criticism over mandated water breaks to red cards galore, here’s all the key takeaways from the opening day of the 2026 World Cup. Five goals, four water breaks, three red cards and a glittering opening ceremony. The World Cup 2026 opening day delivered everything you could ask for. From an early thunder strike to a late winning goal, Thursday was filled with drama, stretching from Mexico City to Zapopan. Al Jazeera breaks down the key takeaways from the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s day 1 Is this going to be the World Cup with the most red cards? The three red cards brandished to Yaya Sithole, Themba Zwame and Cesar Montes during Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa were an unusual sight at a World Cup. In the last two editions, Qatar 2022 and Russia 2018, only four red cards were handed out during the entire tournament. This year’s World Cup opening game nearly matched that singlehandedly. With officiating at the start of the tournament usually setting the tone for the rest of the campaign, the sequence of sending offs at Estadio Azteca could be repeated several times during the 39-day, 104-match spectacle in North America. Thursday’s three reds fell just one short of the record of four at a World Cup 2006 game, nicknamed the “Battle of Nuremberg”, between Portugal and the Netherlands.

The record for the most red cards – 28 – was also set at the same tournament in Germany. Controversial VAR at the centre of debate again The look of confusion and disbelief among South African players after Zwane was sent off for flinging an arm into Mexico’s Roberto Alvarado’s face prompted the debate: Is Video Assistant Referee (VAR) playing spoilsport again? Referee Wilton Sampaio did not initially pull out the red card, but after being sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR, Sampaio decided to send Zwane off. While the replays were unclear, it seemed Zwane was trying to move past Alvarado, but his hand caught the Mexican’s face in the process. Zwane was ultimately booked for “violent conduct”, a controversial decision, which seemed harsh given it was not an obvious call. South Africa coach Hugo Broos was not convinced by it, either. “The second red card, I think the Mexican player blocked my player,” Broos said in the post-match media conference. “It’s the position of the referee, and we have to accept it also, but I don’t think [it was a red], it was too soft to give that as a red card.” Hydration breaks or momentum killers? The introduction of fixed hydration breaks – one in each half – came into effect for the first time at the World Cup on Thursday, and attracted early criticism from viewers and coaches alike.