South Africa reach World Cup knockouts for the first time

LUSAKA — South Africa's 1-0 win over South Korea in Guadalupe on 24 June is the result that sends Bafana Bafana into the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time.

Thapelo Maseko scored the only goal in the 63rd minute at the Monterrey Stadium, finishing a cross from Tshepang Moremi to settle a tense Group A finale. The victory carries South Africa into a round-of-32 tie with tournament co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles on 28 June, and marks the first time a South African men's side has survived the group stage at a World Cup.

For a Southern African region that has watched the World Cup mostly from the outside, the milestone lands close to home. South Africa is a fellow Southern African Development Community member and Zambia's neighbour, and Bafana Bafana's progress gives the region a side to follow into the second round of an expanded 48-team tournament. Kwacha News has tracked Africa's campaign through the group stage, from Egypt's first World Cup win and Cape Verde's draw with Uruguay to the exits that thinned the continent's field.

How South Africa reached the second round

South Africa needed a win to be sure of progress and got one through Maseko, a forward who broke the deadlock midway through the second half. The goal came from a Moremi cross, a move that rewarded South Africa's patience after a cagey opening hour against a South Korea side already eliminated before kick-off.

The three points lifted South Africa to four for the group: a win over South Korea, a draw with Czechia and an opening 2-0 defeat to Mexico. That tally was enough to take South Africa through as one of the best third-placed teams under the new format, in which the top two from each of the 12 groups and the eight best third-placed sides reach the round of 32. The maths had been finely balanced going into the final round, with several third-placed teams separated by a single point, so the win over South Korea removed any doubt and secured South Africa a seeded place in the draw rather than a wait on other results.

South Africa's route had looked steep after the loss to Mexico in the opening match, a game Kwacha News covered when Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 to open the tournament. A 0-0 draw with Czechia three days later kept the campaign breathing, and the win over South Korea finished the job.

South Korea fall short despite Son Heung-min

South Korea arrived in Guadalupe already out of the tournament, and coach Hong Myung-bo named a changed side. Captain Son Heung-min, the team's most recognised player, began on the bench and came on at the start of the second half as one of three substitutions. The switch could not rescue a result that was beyond reach, and South Korea ended the group without a win.

Maseko's strike eight minutes after the restart proved decisive. South Korea pressed late, but South Africa's defence held firm to protect a lead that means far more to the winners than the margin suggests.

Bafana Bafana, playing at the tournament for the first time since South Africa hosted it in 2010, reach the knockout stage for the first time.

— Al Jazeera, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/6/25/south-africa-stun-south-korea-to-reach-world-cup-knockouts-for-the-first-time">match report, 25 June 2026</a>

A first since 2010, and a tie with the hosts

This is South Africa's first World Cup since the nation staged the 2010 finals, the only previous edition held on African soil. Reaching the knockout rounds clears a bar South Africa had never cleared as hosts or as qualifiers, and does so at a 48-team tournament spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Mexico topped Group A with nine points from three wins and will carry home advantage deeper into the draw. South Africa's reward for finishing third is a meeting with Canada, who are hosting matches in the western United States during the round of 32. The expanded knockout phase, new to the World Cup, runs from 28 June to 3 July before the round of 16.

What to watch

The Canada tie is a steep test against a host nation, but South Africa now play with nothing to lose and a defence that has conceded twice in three matches. The wider question is how many African sides reach the latter rounds: the continent went into the round of 32 with several teams still alive after a group stage that produced firsts and upsets, including the debutants Kwacha News followed when Bafana held Czechia to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

For Zambian supporters, the appeal is regional as much as continental. A SADC neighbour in the World Cup's second round is a rare sight, and a deep run by South Africa would put Southern African football in front of a global audience through early July. Readers can follow the rest of the tournament and the region's teams through Kwacha News' sports and entertainment coverage as the knockout rounds unfold.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the score in South Africa vs South Korea at the 2026 World Cup?

The answer is 1-0 to South Africa. According to the match report, South Africa beat South Korea in their final Group A match on 24 June 2026 at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe. Thapelo Maseko scored the only goal in the 63rd minute, data from the game shows, finishing a cross from Tshepang Moremi.

Is this South Africa's first World Cup knockout appearance?

In short, yes. The match report reveals that this is the first time South Africa have reached the World Cup knockout rounds. It is also South Africa's first World Cup since the country hosted the 2010 edition, and the evidence from the group stage shows the side advanced as one of the best third-placed teams.

Who is South Africa's round-of-32 opponent?

Simply put, the opponent is Canada. South Africa face the co-hosts in Los Angeles on 28 June 2026, according to the qualification tracker. The round of 32 is new to the World Cup and runs from 28 June to 3 July, the format data confirms.

Why did South Korea leave Son Heung-min on the bench?

The key is that South Korea were already eliminated. Coach Hong Myung-bo left Son Heung-min out of the starting line-up and brought him on at the start of the second half as one of three changes, the match report shows. Analysis of the result found that the substitution did not alter the outcome.

Which team won Group A at the 2026 World Cup?

In other words, Mexico won the group. The standings reveal that Mexico finished Group A with nine points from three wins, while South Africa took four points to qualify in third. Research into the new format shows the eight best third-placed sides across the 12 groups join the group winners and runners-up in the round of 32.

Sources

This report draws on Al Jazeera's match report on South Africa's 1-0 win over South Korea, 25 June 2026 and Al Jazeera's 2026 World Cup round-of-32 qualification tracker, 24 June 2026.