World Cup 2026 live updates: Canada vs. South Africa begin knockout rounds

With South Africa playing a bit less conservatively in this second half, Canada has had more opportunities to get the ball and takes chances, but none has turned into a goal as we reach the 87th minute. Under so much pressure, will South Africa's defense at last break? Or can it stun Canada with a score against the run of play?

Appollis made some slick dribbles to set up a right-footed shot from outside the box. He shot appeared to be headed wide right of the goal, but it still drew a diving stop from Maxime Crépeau.

For South Africa, at least in this match, that qualifies as a chance.

Canada’s Promise David came inches away from the first goal of this game, but his right footer from outside the box missed just left of the goal.

The national team star at last is substituted on in the 74th minute. It's the last substitute that Canada will be allowed in regulation, meaning Cyle Larin must remain on the bench unless this game goes into extra time.

Tani Oluwaseyi and Liam Millar have come off for Promise David and Jacob Shaffelburg, respectively.

Canada has been the more aggressive offensive team, but it hasn’t resulted in a goal yet. We’re still locked at 0-0 as the second half endures.

Canada just had a great chance at a goal after a Tani Oluwaseyi shot created a rebound that was hanging in the air in front of the goal. Mbokazi beat Jonathan David to the ball to kick it out of bounds, preventing a shot at an open net.

South Africa doesn't seem to believe it can win a wide-open game played at Canada's preferred pace, so instead it is trying to give Canada possession as little as possible, even if that conservative strategy has earned multiple boos today. Despite possessing the ball 60% of this match and completing 319 accurate passes — 133 more than Canada — South Africa has earned just one shot on goal and produced a microscopic 0.09 xG, or expected goals.

Midfielder Nathan Saliba and defender Moise Bombito have been taken off in the 59th minute, replaced by Niko Sigur and Luc de Fougerolles.

Saliba had been booked on a yellow card only five minutes earlier, and Canada clearly doesn't want to risk Saliba picking up another card — and get suspended for the next game — should it advance.

After some nifty dribbling by South Africa's Khuliso Mudau — which included nutmegging multiple Canada defenders — Laryea got tired of the display, and his rough takedown of Mudau was carded.

Alphonso Davies and Cyle Larin remain on the bench, 50 minutes into this match. They're two of Canada's stars, with Larin having already scored twice in this World Cup.

Keeping both off the pitch for now could be a gamble by Canada coach Jesse Marsch. It also might show he's not overly worried about South Africa's scoring chances and would rather save them for a late-match contribution. Davies entered this tournament nursing an injury, so his fitness could also be a factor here.

Let’s see if Canada or South Africa can break this scoreless tie.

World Cup matches during the group stage can end in a draw. But now that we're in the knockout stage, there has be a winner. That's where extra time comes in.

With South Africa and Canada both scoreless at halftime of this round of 32 game, it's a good time, perhaps, to revisit the rules of how ties are resolved. After regulation, 30 minutes of extra time begin; halfway through, the teams switch sides. Stoppage time, for injuries or delays, can be tacked onto the end of extra time, as well.

If the game is still a draw, then penalty kicks begin. Each time picks five players, with the winner decided by whichever team scores more out of those five attempts. And if the match is still tied at that point, penalty kicks resume but in a sudden death format.

We’re at the halfway point of the first match of the knockout stage.

No goals so far, though Canada turned up the heat late in the opening 45 minutes. South Africa has been playing rather conservatively, seemingly more content to play keepaway rather than score.

Canada still managed to threaten despite losing the possession battle, finishing the first half with 1.05 expected goals compared to only 0.06 for South Africa.

Richie Laryea was taken down in the box, but replay review ruled it was Laryea who initiated the contact, taking away any chance at a penalty.

What a dramatic sequence near the end of the first half in Southern California! Off a corner kick in the 43rd minute, Canada's Moise Bombito nearly headed in a goal, then Tani Oluwaseyi got a chance, and finally Tajon Buchanan got a hard right-footed shot on a rebound, but each time was blocked in a congested goal box. South Africa's defense hangs on, barely.

South Africa is leading in possession, controlling the ball for 58% of the action so far. But Canada leads in expected goals 0.49 to 0.06, as Bafana Bafana have not been keen on really putting pressure on goal.

Canada gets another opportunity to score, this time by Tani Oluwaseyi in the 35th minute, but comes up empty.

Boos have broken out inside SoFi Stadium twice within this match's first half hour after South Africa played extremely conservatively. Content to slow the game down, there have been stretches where Bafana Bafana's defenders and goalkeeper have passed back and forth multiple times rather than play it forward.

Perhaps this is to play keepaway because of Canada's offense, which created numerous opportunities to score during the group stage. Or it could be because of Canada manager Jesse Marsch's pre-match comments Saturday in which he said his team wanted to play aggressively from the start.

Canada's #22 Richie Laryea and South Africa's #12 Thapelo Maseko fight for the ball at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 28, 2026.  Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images

Neither Canada nor South Africa has ever reached the knockout stage of a World Cup before this tournament, which ensures that the winner today will continue the deepest World Cup run in its history.

This is only the fourth tournament appearance for Bafana Bafana. This is Canada's third time playing at the men's World Cup.

Neither side has threatened much early, as both teams still look to be feeling out the other. Perhaps the hydration break will fuel some offense before halftime.

In the 21st minute, Canada had its best opportunity to score so far when an unmarked Derek Cornelius took a header off a free kick and sent it within a foot of the goal. But South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was there to stop the shot off the bounce before it could go any further and keep this a 0-0 draw.

We passed the 15-minute mark of the first half and the offense is finally starting to flow.

Canada just had a chance off a corner, but a right-footed shot from Jonathan David missed right of the goal.

After a tentative five minutes to start the match, South Africa recorded the first shot on goal courtesy of a strike from Teboho Mokoena. It was rather easily saved by Maxime Crépeau.

Canada vs. South Africa in the round of 32 has begun in SoFi Stadium, meaning the knockout stage is officially underway in the 2026 World Cup. From here on out, it's survive and advance.

The winner of this match will advance to the round of 16 in Houston, against the winner of Monday's match between the Netherlands and Morocco.

Map out the road to the final and pick your favorite team to take home the world’s biggest prize.

Which teams have been most effective when attacking during this World Cup? Some of the most likely answers might be France, Germany or Argentina, thanks to Messi's scoring outburst.

But don't overlook Canada.

Alistair Johnston #2 of Canada controls the ball during a match against Switzerland on June 24, 2026. Emilee Chinn / Getty Images

Its 22 on-target attempts tied with France and Germany for most during the group stage, and its 59 attempts at goal were tied for third-most, with Colombia, and behind Belgium (73) and Turkey (70). It's expected goals, or xG, ranked second-best among all teams.

Now, it's only right to put those numbers into fuller context. Canada's 14% rate of converting those attempts into goals ranked tied for only 17th. Still, this is a team that could throw a lot at opposing defenses.

For South Africa:

For Canada:

Alphonso Davies of Canada controls the ball during a match against Mexico on March 20, 2025 in Inglewood, Calif. Michael Owens / Getty Images file

Canada is more known for hockey than soccer, but don’t get it twisted — this is a legitimate World Cup squad that could surprise this summer. Alphonso Davies, one of the best defensive players in the world, is a major reason why. The 25-year-old began his career with the MLS’ Vancouver Whitecaps, where he was the first player born in the 2000s to play in a game. 

In 2019, he made the move to the Bundesliga’s Bayern Munich for a then-record MLS transfer fee and helped deliver a Champions League title just one year later. He’s been a star for the perennial European powers ever since. 

The Round of 32 is upon us, and there are some brilliant games coming up in the first knockout round at the tournament.

Below are all of the confirmed matches for the Round of 32, with the schedule for when they are played and a prediction on each game.

South Africa’s World Cup campaign is already a success after they reached the knockout stage for the first time, but coach Hugo Broos said yesterday his side is hungry for more when they face Canada in the last 32.

Broos’s side takes on Canada in Los Angeles today after advancing from the group stage with a surprise 1-0 victory over South Korea, and the Belgian said reaching the knockout rounds had fulfilled the team’s initial objective.

“I think we can say already now that the World Cup is a success for us,” Broos told reporters.

Canada’s captain Alphonso Davies is fit for today’s last-32 clash with South Africa, coach Jesse Marsch said.

He has been recovering from a left hamstring injury picked up in Bayern Munich’s Champions League semifinal second leg with Paris Saint-Germain last month.

“Now that we have Alphonso back and healthy and ready to perform, I think it’s a big moment for the team and a big boost for the team,” Marsch said yesterday.

The group stage was epic, with teams scrambling to grab a spot in the Round of 32 and the knockout rounds.

The new expanded format means that two thirds of the teams at the tournament this summer will make the knockout rounds, with the top two teams from each of the 12 groups making it automatically and the eight best third-place teams joining them.

Below is a look at the teams that have booked their spot in the Round of 32 and have reached the knockout rounds of the 2026 men’s World Cup.

When Guillermo Ochoa stepped onto the pitch in the 78th minute of Mexico’s match with Czechia on Wednesday night, the stadium let out a roar that seemed to reverberate across the country and beyond.

Clad in a purple jersey and shorts, a misty-eyed Ochoa made the sign of the cross and high-fived a handful of teammates. Edson Álvarez gave him the captain’s armband and then “Memo,” as the legendary goalkeeper is affectionately nicknamed, jogged over to the goal in Estadio Azteca, his signature curls bouncing with him.

Ochoa’s jersey was branded with a commemorative patch marking his sixth World Cup, an exclusive club with just two other members: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He had already indicated he’d retire after this one.

Joe Prince-Wright breaks down England's win over Panama to secure first place in Group L with Jude Bellingham providing the cutting edge to beat a sticky Panama side and showed what his impact can be moving forward.