World Cup 2026: South Africa’s captain and Mexico’s ‘curse’

The 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway with hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening match at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Expected to play a crucial role is South Africa's captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, whose performances over the past two years have established him as one of Africa's leading players. He spoke to Isaac Fanin about the rise of African goalkeepers and why leading Bafana Bafana in the first game means so much to him and his family.

Mani Djazmi’s been speaking to former Mexico international Joaquin Beltran about what Mexican’s describe as El Quinto Partido, the Mexican curse of never winning five games in a World Cup.

Plus Isaac visits the Mexican community in Los Angeles, including interviews with Tracy M. Serrano-Ruiz, Interim Chief Executive Officer of LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, and Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez, the Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles

More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

Audio for this programme was updated on 11th June 2026 with additional audio about Mexico.