The highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off in absolute chaotic style at the iconic Estadio Azteca, and while Mexico was busy making history on the pitch, one of our very own SportsGuff readers was making history of his own!

We are thrilled to announce Rohan Shingkhwal as the official winner of our first SportsGuff Predict and Win contest for the World Cup opening match!

The Perfect Prediction

Predicting the exact scoreline of a high-pressure World Cup opening match is never easy, but Rohan saw right through the drama. He boldly locked in a 2-0 victory for Mexico over South Africa.

Thanks to an early 9th-minute strike from Julián Quiñones and a thumping 67th-minute header from veteran forward Raúl Jiménez, El Tri secured exactly that—a clinical 2-0 win to send the home crowd into a frenzy.  

While a few other brilliant minds also managed to guess the exact scoreline, the stakes were incredibly high. To decide who walked away with the grand prize, we pooled all the correct predictions together and let the football gods decide via a lucky draw.

As fate would have it, Rohan Shingkhwal's name was pulled out of the hat! Talk about having both the football IQ and the luck of a champion!

A Match to Remember

Rohan’s perfect prediction is even more impressive considering how wild the actual game turned out to be. Beyond the 2-0 scoreline, the opening match set a historic World Cup record with a whopping three red cards brandished by referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio! 

South Africa was reduced to 9 men after Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off, while Mexico’s César Montes also saw red in stoppage time. Through all the physical battles and card showers, the 2-0 scoreline held firm, cementing Rohan's place on the SportsGuff winner's podium.  

Want to Be Next? Play Predict & Win!

A massive congratulations to Rohan Shingkhwal from the entire SportsGuff team!

Missed out on this round? Don’t sweat it. The tournament has only just begun, and the remaining co-hosts—the USA and Canada—are gearing up for their opening matches next. We have plenty more matches, more prizes, and more bragging rights up for grabs throughout the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Keep your eyes glued to the SportsGuff website and our social media handles to lock in your predictions for the upcoming games.