South Africa and Canada face off in 2026 World Cup round of 32

On June 28, 2026, South Africa and Canada are scheduled to compete in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup at the Los Angeles Stadium, with kickoff set for 22:00. Both teams reached this stage after finishing second in their respective groups with four points each. South Africa's path to the knockout round included a loss to Mexico, a draw with the Czech Republic, and a 1-0 victory over North Korea. Canada, one of the tournament hosts, qualified after drawing with Bosnia and Herzegovina, losing to Switzerland, and achieving a 6-0 win against Qatar. For both nations, this marks a historic first appearance in the World Cup knockout stage. The starting lineups were confirmed shortly before the match, with Hugo Broos coaching South Africa and Jesse Marsch managing Canada. The match serves as the opening game for the round of 32 phase.