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WHO: South Africa vs Canada
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – round of 32
Where: Los Angeles Stadium in Los Angeles, United States
When: Sunday June 28, 12pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the construction Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT ahead of our announcement.
The first round of white man 32 At the 2026 World Cup, there are two teams that have played in the first and second matches of the tournament, with South Africa facing the hosts of the tournament, Canada.
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The two teams were the first to compete in the World Cup, so more history will be made.
It has been an underdog competition so far, so few will lower their expectations of how it will go, including two sides that have already stolen one show to reach this stage.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the details of the game.
How has South Africa fared at the 2026 World Cup?
South Africa played in the opening match of the tournament, but lost to their rivals Mexico.
The 2-0 behind in Mexico City was followed by score 1-1 against the Czech Republic, where Thapelo Maseko’s second-half penalty earned Atlanta a point.
A difficult match came to Monterrey with a crucial victory against South Korea – Maseko scored the only goal under the giants of Asia and secure Bafana Bafana’s progress to the knockout stages of the second round in Group A.
How has Canada fared at the 2026 World Cup?
Canada was the second game played in the tournament, where their friends were together it was 1-1 and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Cyle Larin scored Canada’s goal to turn things around 121 seconds after coming on in the 76th minute.
Jonathan David scored a hat-trick against the hosts of the 2022 games, Qatar, in 6-0 to destroy which led to Canada going to the knockouts – and taking the headlines by taking down the Asian champions in a row.
The top spot in the group was denied, however, by a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in the last game of the group.
South African form guide
South Africa: DDLDW (Last five games, latest results)
South Africa went on a seven-match winless run, losing three, before beating South Korea to reach the last 32.
The unbeaten run began with their 2-1 defeat to Cameroon in January which sealed their elimination from the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Canadian application form
Canada: WDDWL (Last five games, latest results first)
Canada’s loss to Switzerland was their first in 11 games.
A 10-match unbeaten run, eight in international friendly matches before the World Cup, included four wins.
The last defeat before the tournament was a 1-0 friendly against Australia.
South Africa vs Canada Predictions
Opta’s supercomputers have calculated a 66 percent chance of Canada reaching the last 16.
Their chances of reaching the quarterfinals drop, however, to a 25 percent chance of just reaching the final.
South Africa’s chances of reaching the semifinals are less than one percent.
Who will be the 16 opponents for the winner?
Either the Netherlands or Morocco will play the winner.
So the draw for the last 16 in Africa is just around the corner. It could be a tough clash between Bafana Bafana and the now dominant team in the north of the continent, who were the first African team to reach the last four of the World Cup when they did so in Qatar 2022.
Only four African countries, Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana, who completed the pack, reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
Head to head
They have met only once, with South Africa winning 2-0 in a friendly in 2007.
News about the South African team
Teboho Mokoena has returned from a one-game suspension, which was picked up on yellow cards in the first two games in South Africa, which forced the 29-year-old to miss the game against South Korea.
Themba Zwane is still suspended, however, following the red card he was shown in the opening game against Mexico.
Mokoena can go in between Yaya Sithole.
He predicted that South Africa would start
Williams (goal); Mudau, Mbokazi, Okon, Modiba; Mbatha, Mokoena; Maseko, Mofokeng, Appollis; Bullets
News about the Canadian team
Ismael Kone’s broken tibia, sustained against Qatar, keeps him out.
Stephen Eustaquio and Alfie Jones are both knocks and face late fitness tests.
In other good news, Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies could make the bench as he continues his recovery from a stomach injury, which kept him out of the squad.
He predicted that Canada would start
Crepeau (goalkeeper); Johnston, De Fougerolles, Cornelius, Laryea; Buchanan, Eustaquio, Saliba, Ahmed; David, Larin
