South Africa reach World Cup knockout stage for the first time
South Africa have qualified for the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup for the first time, finishing as runners-up in Group A at the 2026 tournament co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Bafana Bafana booked their place with a 1-0 win over South Korea, decided by a goal from Thapelo Maseko in the 63rd minute. The result lifted South Africa above the Koreans and secured second place in the group behind Mexico, who topped the section with three wins.
The campaign began with a 2-0 defeat to the hosts in the tournament opener, as Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored for Mexico. South Africa then drew 1-1 with the Czech Republic, recovering through a late Teboho Mokoena penalty after Michal Sadílek had given the Europeans an early lead.
Mexico confirmed top spot with a 1-0 win over South Korea and a 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic, who finished bottom of the group. South Korea ended in third place and exited at the group stage.
Reaching the last 16 marks a historic milestone for South African football, surpassing the team's previous best showings on the world stage. Attention now turns to the round of 16, where Bafana Bafana will face one of the qualifiers from another group as the tournament moves into its decisive phase.
