Mexico has become the first team to guarantee a place in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 victory against South Korea on Friday. The co-hosts now have six points from their opening two Group A matches, making them the only side with a perfect record so far.
The decisive goal came from a costly mistake by South Korean goalkeeper Seung-Gyu Kim. He failed to hold onto a header from Raul Jimenez, allowing Luis Romo to pounce and chip the ball into an empty net. It was a moment of fortune that Mexico capitalized on fully.
On the other end, Mexico’s goalkeeper Raul Rangel was equally decisive. He produced a remarkable double save to deny substitute Gue-Sung Cho, preserving his team’s slender lead. The contest was ultimately a battle between the two goalkeepers, with Rangel coming out on top.
With this win, Mexico is poised to finish as group winners, which would mean their knockout match will be played in Mexico City—a huge advantage for Javier Aguirre’s squad. They now await their opponents in the next round, having already secured their place among the final 32 teams in the tournament.