Bafana reach World Cup last 32 as 13 teams advance and seven bow out

South Africa secured a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after a 1-0 win over South Korea in their final Group A match, one of 13 teams already through to the knockout phase while seven nations have been eliminated.

Decisive win in Monterrey

Thapelo Maseko’s second-half winner at Estadio Monterrey sealed South Africa’s first-ever qualification for the World Cup knockout stages. The result followed an opening defeat to Mexico and a draw with the Czech Republic in the group.

Group A outcome

Hugo Broos’ side finished second in Group A behind Mexico, with Mexico topping the group after a 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic.

Who has advanced and who is out

As the group stage progresses, 13 teams have already booked places in the Round of 32. The sides listed in the source are:

• Mexico
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• Canada
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brazil
• Morocco
• United States
• Germany
• France
• Norway
• Argentina
• Colombia

Meanwhile, seven nations have been eliminated: the Czech Republic, Qatar, Haiti, Türkiye, Tunisia, Jordan and Panama.

Reaction and next steps

After the match, coach Hugo Broos praised his players:

“I think we played a very good game tactically. Everyone did their job and I’m very proud of the performance of my team,”

The government also congratulated the national side, calling the achievement a proud moment and a reflection of the team’s determination, discipline and fighting spirit.

Round of 32 fixture

Bafana Bafana will face co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles on Sunday, 28 June at 21:00 (SA time) in their Round of 32 match.

Looking ahead

With more group matches still to be completed, organisers expect the list of qualified and eliminated teams to change as the tournament continues, but South Africa’s progression marks a historic milestone for the national team.