The first goal becomes the opening line of the entire narrative.
Uma vez a cada quatro anos, o mundo para — e em 2026, pela primeira vez, três nações dividem o palco maior do futebol. O torneio começa na Cidade do México, onde o anfitrião enfrenta a África do Sul no Estádio Azteca, antes de a Coreia do Sul e a República Tcheca disputarem o segundo jogo do Grupo A em Jalisco. Mais do que apostas e probabilidades, o que está em jogo é o primeiro capítulo de um Mundial que já reescreveu suas próprias regras antes mesmo de a bola rolar.
- Pela primeira vez na história, três países — Estados Unidos, México e Canadá — compartilham a sede de uma Copa do Mundo, expandindo o torneio de 32 para 46 seleções.
- Raúl Jiménez, aos 35 anos e em sua quarta Copa, carrega o peso de ser o favorito para marcar o primeiro gol do torneio, com odds de 2.30, enquanto a África do Sul retorna ao Mundial após 16 anos de ausência.
- No segundo jogo, Heung-Min Son e Patrik Schick — ambos em sua quarta Copa e entre os maiores artilheiros de suas seleções — disputam um confronto equilibrado, com odds que refletem uma partida sem favorito claro.
- O primeiro gol do torneio, seja de Jiménez à tarde ou de um dos protagonistas da noite, será o instante inaugural que definirá o tom de um Mundial sem precedentes.
A Copa do Mundo de 2026 começa na quinta-feira com uma cerimônia de abertura inédita: pela primeira vez, três nações — Estados Unidos, México e Canadá — dividem a organização do torneio, que também expande seu formato para 46 seleções. O primeiro apito soa na Cidade do México, onde o anfitrião enfrenta a África do Sul no Estádio Azteca às 16h (horário de Brasília), seguido pelo duelo entre Coreia do Sul e República Tcheca em Jalisco.
No jogo de abertura, os mercados de apostas apontam Raúl Jiménez como o favorito para marcar o primeiro gol do torneio. O centroavante mexicano de 35 anos, que atua pelo Fulham na Inglaterra, está em sua quarta Copa e é o segundo maior artilheiro da história do México, com 45 gols — atrás apenas de Chicharito Hernández. Do lado sul-africano, Lyle Foster, de 25 anos e dez gols pelo país, aparece com odds mais longas. O México entra como favorito para vencer a partida, impulsionado pelo fator casa, enquanto a África do Sul retorna ao Mundial pela primeira vez desde 2010.
O segundo jogo do Grupo A promete ser mais equilibrado. Patrik Schick, da Bayer Leverkusen — autor de 22 gols em 42 partidas na última temporada —, e Heung-Min Son, capitão sul-coreano de 33 anos e segundo maior artilheiro de sua seleção com 56 gols, são os principais nomes a observar. As odds refletem o equilíbrio: Coreia do Sul em 2.62, República Tcheca em 2.86 e empate em 3.10. A partida será transmitida exclusivamente pelo canal do CazéTV no YouTube.
O que acontecer nessas primeiras horas dará o tom de um torneio que já quebrou moldes antes mesmo de começar. O primeiro gol de 2026 — não importa de qual chuteira saia — será o momento que abrirá a história deste Mundial sem precedentes.
The 2026 World Cup arrives on Thursday with an opening ceremony unlike any before it. For the first time in the tournament's history, three nations share hosting duties—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—and forty-six teams will compete instead of the traditional thirty-two. The first whistle blows in Mexico City, where the host nation takes on South Africa at the Azteca Stadium at 4 p.m. Brasília time, followed hours later by South Korea facing the Czech Republic in Jalisco.
In the Mexico-South Africa match, the betting markets have already settled on a favorite for the tournament's opening goal. Raúl Jiménez, Mexico's thirty-five-year-old striker playing for Fulham in England, carries the weight of expectation. He is competing in his fourth World Cup and stands as Mexico's second-greatest goal scorer in history with forty-five international goals, trailing only Chicharito Hernández's fifty-two. The odds favor Jiménez to score at any point in the match at 2.30. South Africa's Lyle Foster, a twenty-five-year-old forward from Burnley with ten goals for his country, sits at longer odds of 5.50.
Mexico enters as the clear favorite to win the opening match, with odds of 1.42, buoyed by home-field advantage and the quality of its attacking options. South Africa returns to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2010, when the tournament was held on the continent. The team has missed three consecutive editions. The match will be broadcast across multiple platforms in Brazil—TV Globo and SBT on open television, along with CazéTV, GE TV, Sportv, and N Sports on digital and cable channels.
The second Group A fixture later that evening pits South Korea against the Czech Republic at the Akron Stadium in Jalisco. Here too, the oddsmakers have identified clear attacking threats. Patrik Schick of Bayer Leverkusen carries Czech hopes at 3.10 odds; he arrives fresh from a season in which he scored twenty-two goals in forty-two matches for his German club. South Korea's Heung-Min Son, now thirty-three and playing for LA FC in the United States, sits at 3.25 odds. Like Jiménez, Son is competing in his fourth World Cup and serves as captain of his team. He ranks second in South Korean scoring history with fifty-six goals, behind only Bum-Kun Cha's fifty-eight.
Unlike the opening match, this second game shapes up as genuinely competitive. The odds reflect the balance: South Korea at 2.62 to win, the Czech Republic at 2.86, with a draw at 3.10. South Korea holds a slight edge in individual talent, particularly with Son's experience and the presence of Kang-In Lee, a midfielder-forward from Paris Saint-Germain. The match will stream exclusively on CazéTV's YouTube channel.
What unfolds in these opening hours will set the tone for a tournament that has already broken the mold simply by existing. The expansion to three host nations and forty-six teams signals a fundamental shift in how the World Cup operates. The first goal—whether it comes from Jiménez's boot in the afternoon sun or from one of the evening's contenders—will be the tournament's first memory, the moment that begins the story of 2026.
Notable Quotes
Raúl Jiménez is competing in his fourth World Cup and stands as Mexico's second-greatest goal scorer in history with forty-five international goals, trailing only Chicharito Hernández's fifty-two.— Tournament records
Heung-Min Son ranks second in South Korean scoring history with fifty-six goals, behind only Bum-Kun Cha's fifty-eight.— South Korea national team records
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does it matter who scores first? It's just one goal in a tournament of hundreds.
Because it's the story people remember. The first goal becomes the opening line of the entire narrative. Jiménez, at thirty-five, might never get another chance at this moment. It's not just statistics—it's the weight of a career.
So the betting odds are really just guessing?
Not guessing. They're reading the game. Jiménez plays in the Premier League, he's the captain's peer, he's done this three times before. The odds reflect what the market knows about his quality and his position in the team's tactics.
What about Foster? He seems like an underdog.
He is. South Africa is returning after fourteen years away. Foster is their best chance, but Mexico has the home crowd, the better team, the experience. The odds tell you the story: Mexico is expected to dominate.
And the second match—why is that one so balanced?
Because both teams are genuinely good. Son is a world-class player, but so is Schick. Neither team has the overwhelming advantage Mexico has. It's a real contest.
Does the format change—three countries, forty-six teams—does that affect who scores first?
It changes everything about the tournament's shape, but the first goal? That still comes down to the players on the field and the moment. The expansion matters for the whole story, but not for that first ninety seconds.