Former FIFA and Premier League referee Keith Hackett has claimed that Themba Zwane should not have been sent off during South Africa’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the 2026 World Cup opener.
Match Drama Unfolds
The two sides met on Thursday evening in Mexico City for the tournament’s curtain raiser. Julian Quinones gave Mexico the lead in the ninth minute. Yaya Sithole was then dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity, and Raul Jimenez scored Mexico’s second goal.
Things worsened for South Africa when Zwane was sent off for “serious foul play” after appearing to strike Roberto Alvarado with his arm. The referee initially showed a yellow card but changed his mind following a VAR review.
Hackett’s Verdict
Hackett believes the decision was too harsh. “Whilst the red card might be deemed ‘soft’, the South African player used his hand/arm in an illegal manner, opening up the VAR intervention,” he told Football Insider. “My view is that this red card did not meet the criteria for serious foul play. At most, the action was reckless, and a yellow card would have been appropriate.”
Mexico’s Cesar Montes also received a red card in stoppage time, making it three dismissals in the match.
Previous Controversy
Hackett previously commented on Somalian official Omar Artan being denied entry to the USA for the World Cup. He argued that FIFA should compensate Artan with the $100,000 (£74,630) fee he would have earned. “This appears so unfair, depriving a young referee of the opportunity to officiate at a World Cup,” Hackett said.
FIFA hopes to avoid further controversy as the tournament continues on Friday with Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina and USA vs. Paraguay.
