Bafana Bafana must beat South Korea in their final Group A match on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, to reach the World Cup last 32, after a 1-1 draw with Czechia kept their hopes alive.
The draw in Atlanta left South Africa on one point after two group matches, level with Czechia on goal difference and behind South Korea, who sit second in Group A on three points.
Why Bafana Bafana must beat South Korea to advance
The permutations are simple for South Africa. A victory over South Korea would lift Bafana to four points and likely into the round of 32, depending on the other Group A result between Mexico and Czechia, which is played at the same time.
South Africa opened the tournament with a 2-0 defeat to hosts Mexico, leaving little margin for error. The draw with Czechia steadied the campaign, but Bafana now need a win in their final fixture to have any chance of progressing from Group A.
Speaking after the Czechia draw, Broos said his side controls its own destiny.
“It’s very good, we don’t have to count on someone else. We just have to win the game against South Korea, which will be very difficult,” the coach said.
Broos pointed to the spirit his players showed against the Czechs as reason for belief going into the decider.
“The positive thing is that our fate remains in our own hands,” he added, stressing that a win, and nothing less, would carry Bafana through.
Teboho Mokoena rescued the point against Czechia with a late penalty, the team’s first goal of the tournament.
He will miss the South Korea match, though, after picking up his second yellow card of the group stage, a blow to the midfield.
What happens next for Bafana Bafana at the World Cup
South Korea arrive at the match in a stronger position after taking points from their opening games.
They will look to avoid defeat to secure their own passage, which makes the meeting in Monterrey a high-stakes contest for both sides in Group A.
The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams, with an extra knockout round that gives third-placed sides a route through. That format has kept South Africa’s hopes alive despite a slow start, and a result against South Korea would mark real progress.
Bafana Bafana face South Korea in Monterrey on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, with kick-off set for the evening in South Africa.
A win could send the team into the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time at this expanded 48-team tournament, while any other result ends the run.
