Round of 32 kicks off Sunday as South Africa faces Canada

The knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup begins this Sunday, with co‑hosts Canada and South Africa facing off in a Round of 32 match at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Scheduled for 8 p.m. Nigeria time, the game is the only fixture on Day 18 of the tournament, leaving no margin for error as the remaining teams chase the world title.

Jesse Marsch’s Canadian side is the only one of the three co‑hosts to play its opening knockout match outside its home country, while the United States and Mexico enjoy true home‑field advantage.

Despite the cross‑border travel, the Canadian locker room is treating the neutral venue as a hostile environment to fuel their determination, with forward Tani Oluwaseyi saying that playing before opposing crowds gives them extra motivation to prove onlookers wrong.

The main storyline for Les Rouges revolves around captain Alphonso Davies’ fitness. The star defender missed all three group‑stage matches with a hamstring injury, but manager Jesse Marsch confirmed Davies is fit to return, stressing the physical, tactical, and psychological advantage of having their best player back on the pitch.

His return comes at a time when Canada will be without Ismaël Koné, who broke his leg, and Stephen Eustáquio remains questionable, although Moïse Bombito is available.

Both teams reached this stage with identical 1‑1‑1 records in group play. South Africa, nicknamed Bafana Bafana, earned their dramatic place in the Round of 32 with a gritty 1‑0 win over South Korea.

They will welcome back Teboho Mokoena from a red‑card suspension, while veteran Themba Zwane must serve one more game on the sidelines following his dismissal against Mexico.

The winner of this clash will advance to the Round of 16 in Houston on July 4, where they will face the victor of the Morocco versus Netherlands match.

Vanguard News