MONTERREY, Mexico — South Africa reached the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup for the first time after defeating South Korea 1-0 in their final Group A match.
The South Africa World Cup knockout place was secured on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at Monterrey Stadium, where Thapelo Maseko scored the only goal of the match to send Bafana Bafana into the last 32.
The result completed a historic group-stage campaign for South Africa, who had never previously advanced beyond the first round of the tournament. South Korea, who needed a result to strengthen their own chances of progression, were left to depend on the wider third-place calculations.
Maseko’s second-half finish gave South Africa the breakthrough after a tense contest in which both teams understood the stakes.
South Korea pressed for an equaliser late in the match, but Bafana Bafana held on through the closing stages to seal one of the most important results in the country’s football history.
South Africa World Cup Knockout Run Begins
The win lifted South Africa into second place in Group A behind Mexico, securing automatic qualification for the knockout phase.
For Bafana Bafana, the result marked a sharp turn from previous World Cup appearances, including 2010, when South Africa became the first host nation to exit the tournament at the group stage.
This time, South Africa’s final group match delivered the moment that had eluded the national team for decades: a place in the elimination rounds.
Bafana Bafana Set for Canada Test
South Africa will face Canada in the last 32, with both teams entering unfamiliar territory at this stage of the tournament.
Canada also reached the knockout phase for the first time, setting up a meeting between two sides seeking their first World Cup quarter-final appearance.
The victory set off celebrations among South African supporters, with Bafana Bafana’s progress widely hailed as a landmark moment for the national team and for African football at the tournament.
