South Africa Vs Canada Live Score, FIFA World Cup 2026 Updates: RSA Vs CAN

South Africa’s route has been far less glamorous, but no less effective.

Bafana Bafana scored just twice in three group matches, yet still collected four points thanks to disciplined defending and a famous victory over South Korea, sealed by Thapelo Maseko’s winner.

They may not possess the attacking depth of their opponents, but Hugo Broos’ side have shown throughout the tournament that they are organised, difficult to break down and capable of punishing teams on the counter.

Canada will know better than to underestimate them.

For the Canadians, this marks their first-ever appearance in the knockout rounds of a World Cup. For South Africa, it’s another historic milestone after Bafana Bafana battled their way beyond the group stage for the very first time

Canada may be the favourites on paper, but World Cups have a funny way of ignoring the script.

Jesse Marsch’s side arrive after an impressive group-stage campaign that saw them finish runners-up in Group B with four points. Their standout moment came in a stunning 6-0 demolition of Qatar, the nation’s biggest victory at a World Cup, before a disappointing defeat to Switzerland denied them top spot.

Finishing second means Canada lose the luxury of home advantage and must travel south to California, but expect SoFi Stadium to still be packed with red-and-white support as the co-hosts chase a place in the Round of 16.

Jonathan David has been one of the stars of the tournament so far, while Cyle Larin has also found his scoring touch, giving Canada plenty of firepower heading into the knockout rounds.