South Africa Makes History, Reaching World Cup Knockout Stages for First Time Ever
Mexico completes a perfect group stage, while Brazil and Switzerland also secure top spots, setting the stage for crucial knockout matchups.
The story
South Africa achieved a historic milestone yesterday, defeating South Korea 1-0 to qualify for the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time ever. The decisive goal came in the 63rd minute from Thapelo Maseko, who finished a swift counterattack with a left-footed strike inside the near post, sparking wild celebrations in Guadalupe.
Needing a victory to stay alive in Group A, Bafana Bafana delivered a determined performance, with goalkeeper Ronwen Williams making a crucial save in stoppage time to preserve the lead against a late South Korean push. This landmark achievement sees South Africa finish second in Group A behind Mexico, marking a remarkable turnaround after a challenging opening defeat.
Yesterday's results
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar
Score: 3-1
Key: Kerim Alajbegović, Ermin Mahmić, and an own goal secured Bosnia and Herzegovina's win, boosting knockout hopes.
Switzerland vs Canada
Score: 2-1
Key: Second-half goals from Juan Vargas and Johan Manzambi secured top spot in Group B for Switzerland.
Morocco vs Haiti
Score: 4-2
Key: Morocco rallied from being down twice with goals from Achraf Hakimi, Ismael Saibari, Soufiane Rahimi, and Gessime Yassine.
Scotland vs Brazil
Score: 0-3
Key: Vinicius Junior scored twice, and Matheus Cunha added another, as Brazil secured top spot in Group C.
Czechia vs Mexico
Score: 0-3
Key: Mateo Chavez, Julian Quinones, and Alvaro Fidalgo scored in the second half as Mexico completed a perfect group stage.
South Africa vs South Korea
Score: 1-0
Key: Thapelo Maseko's 63rd-minute goal sent South Africa into the knockout rounds for the first time.
Where it stands
In Group A, co-hosts Mexico secured the top spot with a perfect nine points, winning all three matches and keeping clean sheets. South Africa's historic 1-0 victory over South Korea propelled them to second place with four points, guaranteeing their first-ever spot in the knockout stage.
South Korea finished third with three points and a -1 goal difference, now facing an anxious wait to see if they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. Czechia was eliminated, finishing bottom with one point.
In Group B, Switzerland topped the group with their 2-1 win over Canada, who finished second, with both teams advancing. Bosnia and Herzegovina finished third in Group B, and Qatar was eliminated.
Group C saw Brazil claim first place on goal difference after their 3-0 win, with Morocco finishing second, both advancing with seven points. Scotland finished third with three points, while Haiti was eliminated.
What we'll be watching
- Japan vs Sweden [World Cup], World Cup 2026 (Group F), Arlington (2026-06-25T23:00Z)
- Tunisia vs Netherlands [World Cup], World Cup 2026 (Group F), Kansas City (2026-06-25T23:00Z)
- Curacao vs Ivory Coast [World Cup], World Cup 2026 (Group E), Philadelphia (2026-06-26T00:00Z)
- Ecuador vs Germany [World Cup], World Cup 2026 (Group E), New Jersey (2026-06-26T00:00Z)
- Paraguay vs Australia [World Cup], World Cup 2026 (Group D), Santa Clara (2026-06-26T06:00Z)
- Turkiye vs United States [World Cup], World Cup 2026 (Group D), Los Angeles (2026-06-26T06:00Z)
Reporting + analyst voices: grounded via Google Search at publish time.