FIFA fever takes over Houston as World Cup kicks off: Live updates

Hwang In-beom scored a goal and set up another as South Korea rallied to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in the second match of the 2026 World Cup on Thursday night.

After a lackluster first half in which both teams were jeered as they left the field, the Czech Republic took the lead in the 59th minute on a header by captain Ladislav Krejci after a long throw-in into the penalty area.

South Korea equalized in the 67th, when Hwang scored after faking a shot with a nifty move to clear two Czech players. The midfielder who plays for Dutch club Feyenoord then made the cross from the right flank for Oh Hyeon-gyu's decisive strike in the 80th in a match played in front of hundreds of empty seats at Guadalajara Stadium.

The South Korean squad celebrated with its fans behind one of the goals after the final whistle. Players later posed for a photo with the fans behind them.

"It was our first game and a very difficult one," South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said. "The win itself makes me happy, but what's even more positive is that our boys won by not giving up. I knew that we were more than capable of winning, so at 1-1, I told the boys to keep playing the way we've been playing."

Czech Republic coach Miroslav Koubek said "probably the better team won." But he said his team could have had a better outcome if it weren't for "some mistakes."

"We played very well, it could have been a draw and we could have won as well," Koubek said.

Mexico made an immediate impression on the largest World Cup in history, giving the roaring home crowd at the iconic Azteca Stadium a huge jolt of excitement four years after a major disappointment.

Mexico's players understood the intense pressure and high expectations they faced on Thursday in the opening match of the first 48-team World Cup. But they embraced their role and got off to a winning start by beating South Africa 2-0 in a match that also produced three red cards.

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored the goals for Mexico, which is co-hosting the 2026 tournament with Canada and the United States. With his goal, Jiménez moved into a tie with Jared Borgetti for second place in scoring for Mexico's national team. He is six goals shy of leader Javier "Chicharito" Hernández.

South Africa players Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were both given red cards, forcing the team to finish the match with only nine players. Mexico defender César Montes was then given a red card in injury time. It was the first time there were three red cards given in the opening match of a World Cup tournament.

Mexico now has three points in Group A and will play South Korea next Thursday in Guadalajara. South Africa will play the Czech Republic on the same day in Atlanta.

A coffee shop owner located near FIFA's Fan Festival told ABC13 that road closures were affecting his business.

The world's biggest sporting event has arrived in Houston, and fans are spending big around the matches, but not all business owners say they're raking in cash.

A coffee shop owner said the first day of the World Cup was one of his slowest days because road closures and limited parking kept customers away from his business on Hutchins Street in East Downtown.

"We aren't here to be kill-joys, but this is a really difficult process for us," Andreas Hager, Koffeteria co-owner, said. "We feel like we've been left out of the conversation."

Hutchins Street is right where Koffeteria's front doors are located, and it's also where many first responders are stationed.

Hager said he wants the city to consider improving access to his business and to others along the edge of the FIFA Fan Festival.

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Entry to the FIFA Fan Festival, the official watch party location for World Cup viewers in Houston, was temporarily paused due to capacity on the first day of the multi-country tournament.

FIFA World Cup Houston published the update on X as the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa kicked off on Thursday afternoon.

Officials encouraged fans to visit other locations and support local businesses to watch the match.

FIFA officials later updated that the gates reopened at 5:45 p.m. The closure lasted just over four hours, approximately the duration of the Mexico vs. South Africa match.