News24 | It’s finally here - Bafana’s big day, all things World Cup and more: Today’s top 7 stories

News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature.

- The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off tonight with Bafana Bafana facing co-hosts Mexico at a packed and intimidating Estadio Azteca – a reunion of the two sides who famously drew 1-1 in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup.

- The match carries deep historical significance, with both Hugo Broos and Mexico’s setup described as seasoned “madalas [veterans]”, adding a compelling personal dimension to the fixture.

- Mexico City was buzzing with World Cup fever ahead of kick-off, though Bafana will face a ferociously hostile crowd in one of football’s most iconic and daunting stadiums.

- As the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on Thursday with Bafana Bafana’s opening Group A clash against Mexico, South Africa has never won a World Cup opener – a sobering record that looms large.

- Legendary former Bafana striker Siyabonga Nomvethe urged the current squad to approach the Azteca match with a warrior mentality, saying “we will need soldiers” to compete against the passionate home side.

- The weight of history and the atmosphere of a hostile Azteca crowd mean Bafana will need extraordinary resilience to break their winless streak on the biggest stage of all.

- The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially begins tonight, with the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa at 21:00 SA time at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

- The tournament is jointly hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada across 16 host cities (11 in the US, three in Mexico, two in Canada).

- For the first time, a 48-team format is used: 12 groups of four teams, with the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advancing to a 32-team knockout round.

- As the 2026 FIFA World Cup gets under way, News24’s Lloyd Burnard and Tashreeq Vardien unpack exactly why Bafana Bafana’s participation in the tournament is so significant for South Africa.

- The podcast explores the national pride, historical context, and sense of redemption attached to Bafana’s return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2010.

- The conversation covers the team’s realistic expectations, what success looks like for South Africa, and why this tournament moment transcends football for the nation.

- Prosecutors have hit back strongly at Julius Malema’s appeal against his firearms-related conviction, describing his legal arguments as “absurd” and without merit.

- The prosecution contended that the evidence and facts on