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One factor that is important to flag at this point is that the players receiving a red card in the 2026 World Cup will receive a one-match suspension.

This applies to both straight red cards and red cards that are the result of the same player being cautioned twice.

Fifa does hold the right to impose "further sanctions" if it deems it necessary.

It means that South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane will miss their side's match against the Czech Republic, while Mexico defender Cesar Montes will miss their meeting with South Korea.

Players can also receive suspensions for an accumulation across multiple matches.

Should players receive two bookings, they will be handed a one-match suspension.

However, yellow cards are wiped following the conclusion of the group stage, and they are wiped again following the conclusion of the quarter-finals.

You have had a chance to have your say on the red cards, this seems like a good time to bring in BBC Sport's football issues correspondent Dale Johnson for his reading of his dismissal.

• First red card: South Africa's Yaya Sithole sent off for fouling Brian Gutierrez.

Dale's verdict: The Mexico attacking midfielder was through on goal. Sithole may not have meant to bring him down, but he did. There was no doubt the South African had denied his opponent a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Image source, Getty Images

• Second red card: South Africa's Themba Zwane sent off for violent conduct after VAR review.

Dale's verdict: Zwane tussled with Roberto Alvarado, with the Mexican going to ground holding his head. It looked like a coming together off the ball, but the referee was sent to the pitchside screen by the VAR. As Wilton Sampaio was shown the replays at the monitor it was difficult to make out what had happened.

Zwane appeared to connect with an open hand to the side of Alvarado's head, not with a closed hand. Was there really a hand to the head? And if so, was it accidental or did he swing the arm?

When assessing violent conduct, the VARs are told to look for a clenched fist as a sign of aggression. This does not have to be present, but it is an indicator.

It looks exceptionally harsh, and not the kind of clear and obvious decision VAR was introduced for.

Image source, Getty Images

• Third red card: Mexico's Cesar Montes sent of for denying his opponent a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Dale's verdict: It seemed controversial initially.

Khuliso Mudau broke towards the area and looked to skip past Montes, but the South African was stopped in his tracks by a rash tackle.

Mudau was in a slightly wide position so a yellow card seemed the most likely outcome. Sampaio produced the red. Surely the VAR would step in again?

On second viewing it seemed very likely that Mudau's next touch would be to control the ball inside the area. There was no covering defender close.

Mudau would probably have had one touch, and then a shot. The VAR was not likely to get involved and tell the referee he had made a clear and obvious error.

Image source, Getty Images

In the heat of the moment, BBC Radio 5 Live commentator John Murray was also very surprised Cesar Montes was shown a red card for that challenge.

But the ratio of thumbs in our poll for each red card show there is a difference in opinion.

The consensus seems to suggest that:

• The first dismissal, for South Africa's Yaya Sithole, was a clear red card
• The second red card, for Themba Zwane, was very harsh
• And the third, for Mexico's Cesar Montes, was closer to 50-50, with readers slightly in favour of the referee's decision.

Chris Sutton
Former England forward on BBC Radio 5 Live at the Azteca Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

I suppose the one sore note for Mexico would have been the sending off of Cesar Montes at the end, who was outstanding all afternoon.

He is really important for Mexico because he's so good in the air as well and set plays are a big part of the game now.

I didn't think it was a denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

The game was already in stoppage time when Mexico saw red, leaving 19 players to battle out the remaining minutes.

Khuliso Mudau made a late charge down South Africa's right channel and was brought down by a wild lunge from Mexico's Cesar Montes.

The key question was whether the centre-back had denied a goalscoring opportunity. Referee Wilton Sampaio decided he had.

• Was a red card the right decision? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Mexico had already doubled their lead by the time South Africa were reduced to nine men when substitute Themba Zwane was sent off six minutes from time.

The midfielder caught the face of Roberto Alvarado as the pair were tussling for the ball.

After an intervention by the VAR, Zwane was given his marching orders.

• What do you think? Thumbs up for red card, thumbs down for too harsh.

Image source, Getty Images

Mexico led 1-0 following a dominant first-half performance at Estadio Azteca.

South Africa's hopes of turning the game around in the second half took a hit in the 49th minute when Yaya Sithole was sent off after Mexico attacker Brian Gutierrez managed to get his body in front of him and the pair tangled as he ran through on goal.

Referee Wilton Sampaio deemed that Sithole had brought Gutierrez down and denied him a goalscoring opportunity.

The red card meant South Africa had 41 minutes to salvage a result with 10 men.

• Was the referee right to send Sithole off? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Again, if you missed this in real time, click on the play icon below to watch the three red cards from Mexico's 2-0 win over South Africa.

Then we will be asking you for a show of thumbs on each dismissal - thumbs up if you think it was a red card, thumbs down if you don't...

Image source, Getty Images

Before we return to the red card debate, here's a few key lines from across the World Cup that you might have missed overnight:

• Jude Bellingham has said that the squad didn't feel "connected" at the Euros - and emphasised the importance of the players "feeling loved" at this World Cup
• Canadian football journalist Har Johal has described the co-hosts' side, who are preparing to face Bosnia Herzegovina in their opening game tonight, as "the best Canadian team we have ever had"
• Our BBC Sport journalists over in the States report back on the city consumed by the NBA Finals and locals who have been priced out of going to the games
• Bosnia and Herzegovina's Edin Dzeko, 40, has said that the tournament will change the lives of young players whose country has been shaped by "the long shadow of war"

Referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio took centre stage in Mexico's opening win over South Africa at the Azteca Stadium, brandishing three red cards in what was a largely incident-free encounter.

We will give you the chance to have your say on each red card shortly, with a quick show of thumbs.

But please do also get in touch with your thoughts on the dismissals.

Just click on the 'Get Involved' button to have your say...

Image source, Getty Images

If you missed the opening games of this World Cup, never fear, check out the highlights below, then join us as we go through the key talking points...

A dominant South Korea side came from behind to beat Czech Republic 2-1 in Guadalajara last night.

Czech captain Ladislav Krejci headed in an opener against the run of play but South Korea struck back through Hwang In-beom eight minutes later.

West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek looked to have put Czech Republic in front again, but the goal was chalked off for offside.

Shortly after Oh Hyeon-gyu scored an 80th-minute winner to give South Korea a victory in their opening game for the first time in four finals appearances.

Image source, Getty Images

If you're only joining us now, let's quickly recap what happened on the other side of the Atlantic last night as the 2026 World Cup got off to an exciting start.

Hosts Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in a dramatic game including two red cards.

Julian Quinones scored the first goal of the tournament before Yaya Sithole was shown red for denying a goalscoring opportunity.

Wolves striker Raul Jimenez headed in a second for Mexico then South Africa went down to nine as Themba Zwane struck Roberto Alvarado in the face during a tussle for the ball.

In stoppage time, Mexico's Cesar Montes was also sent off.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The World Cup has a habit of drawing out the big name fans and it doesn't come much bigger in Mexico than three-weight undisputed boxing world champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.

Alvarez, who has held world titles across four weight classes, even managed to get his hands on the Player of the Match trophy when he posed with goalscorer Julian Quinones.

There were even chants of "Canelo, Canelo, Canelo" at the Azteca Stadium when he was spotted by fellow supporters.

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

In 2017, Pierluigi Collina was appointed as Fifa's new head of referees and it heralded a very different era.

Collina often takes about how decisions should serve as justice - for both teams - and players should stay on the field unless they have done something which truly deserves a red card.

For instance, under his stewardship the law around denying a goalscoring opportunity (Dogso) when a penalty has been awarded have been hugely relaxed. It is now very difficult to get a red card.

So it should be no surprise that the 2018 and 2022 World Cups saw just the four red cards after he took over.

Refereeing at the start of a tournament often seem to sets the tone. Should we be drawing any conclusions from this match?

In his pre-tournament briefing, the Italian was focused on timewasting and general player behaviour.

There was no talk of a hard stance which should result in a huge spike in red cards.

Sometimes red cards are simply justified. Well, most of them anyway.

John Murray
BBC football correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast

The first red card was debatable, a bit of a tangle of legs, the second one I think that’s a bit of a World Cup sending off, the sort of cuff on the back of the head, again is there enough in that? I’m not so sure. Certainly the third one I was staggered that the red card came out for Cesar Montes.

I seem to remember seeing this happen at tournaments before, in that you get the iron fist at the start and then they have a little bit of a think about it and things settle down. South Africa, I thought, were quite heavy handed, there were some not great tackles, but it wasn’t a dirty match.