Mexico’s World Cup standings in Group A will ultimately depend on all three opening matches. Yet, fans are curious how Mexico’s win against South Africa will impact El Tri’s World Cup fate.
Mexico supporters should be pleased to start off the World Cup with a victory, even if South Africa did not look like a quality squad.
If you are new to the World Cup, the loss does not eliminate South Africa from the FIFA tournament. Mexico (and all the World Cup teams) get three games to determine their fate for the next round after playing all the squads in their group.
The win over South Africa secures three points for Mexico and at least a share of first place in Group A heading into the team’s second match.
Things get more complicated with a loss or a tie in the subsequent games. Mexico would earn just one point with a draw and no points for a loss. South Africa now has some serious work to do in order to advance out of the group.
Here’s a look at Mexico and South Africa’s standings in Group A.
Live World Cup Standings Group A: Mexico Sits in 1st Place
Here’s a live look at the current World Cup Group A standings after Mexico’s win versus South Africa. GD stands for goal differential.
| TEAM | WIN | DRAW | LOSS | GD | POINTS |
| Mexico | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| South Korea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Czechia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| South Africa | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
Mexico Schedule: Next World Cup Game vs. South Korea on June 18
Mexico now faces South Korea on June 18 and Czechia on June 24 in their upcoming World Cup schedule. The top two teams in the group are guaranteed to advance, and Mexico faces a little less pressure with a win in their pocket.
Additionally, the top eight third-place teams across all groups will aadvance to the Round of 32.
“I’ve told my players that this could be a good day for us, that no matter what happens, the fans will be behind us,” Mexico manager Javier Aguirre explained ahead of the opener, per FIFA.com. “It’s going to be a celebration that will last for decades.
“I hope we start off like we did back then (in 1986 World Cup), on the right foot. Let’s not doubt our style of play or our mental strength.”
How Many Teams Advance to the Next Round in the World Cup?
The 2026 World Cup marks the largest tournament in FIFA’s history of the event. This year is the first edition of FIFA’s expanded tournament from 32 to 48 teams in the World Cup.
So how many teams advance to the next round? Traditionally, 16 teams made the knockout stage of the World Cup with the top two squads in each group advancing.
Now, 32 teams will advance to the next round or, put another way, only 16 squads will be eliminated following the Group Stage. The top two teams in each group will advance to the Round of 32.
Additionally, the top eight third-place teams will advance as well. Once the World Cup reaches the Round of 32, every game is an elimination match.
Mexico World Cup Standings: What Happens After Win vs. South Africa?