It can cover all of those ideas, depending on context.
Afrikaans often uses the simple present where English might use:
So Die wedstryd begin nou is a very natural way to say that the match is starting at this moment.
Afrikaans does have ways to be more explicitly progressive, but in ordinary speech the simple present is often enough.
Because that is a very normal word order in a simple Afrikaans statement.
The basic structure here is:
So: Die wedstryd begin nou.
You can also move nou to the front for emphasis: Nou begin die wedstryd.
When that happens, Afrikaans keeps the verb in the second position, which is why you get:
For a yes/no question, put the verb first:
Begin die wedstryd nou? = Is the match starting now?
That verb-first pattern is very common in Afrikaans questions.
You can also make a question with a question word:
A rough English-friendly guide is:
A few helpful notes:
And as mentioned earlier:
Not exactly.
Wedstryd usually means a match, contest, or competitive game, especially in sports.
Spel can mean game more generally, and it can also refer to play or gameplay depending on context.
So for a sports match, wedstryd is often the better word:
If you said Die spel begin nou, it could work in some contexts, but it may sound less specifically like a formal sports match.
Yes, absolutely.
Both are correct:
The difference is mainly emphasis.
This is a good example of how Afrikaans often lets you move an element to the front for emphasis, while still keeping the verb in second position.