South Africa vs Canada: World Cup 2026 – prediction, team news and lineups

Who: South Africa vs Canada
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – circular of 32
Where: Los Angeles Stadium successful Los Angeles, United States
When: Sunday June 28, astatine 12pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll person each the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT up of our unrecorded substance commentary stream.

The archetypal lucifer of the circular of 32 astatine World Cup 2026 features 2 sides that played successful the archetypal and 2nd crippled of the tournament, arsenic South Africa instrumentality connected tourney co-hosts Canada.

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Both sides are featuring successful the knockout rounds of a World Cup for the archetypal time, truthful further past volition beryllium made for one.

It has been the tourney of the underdog truthful far, truthful fewer volition bounds their expectations arsenic to however acold they tin go, including 2 sides that person already stolen 1 amusement each to scope this stage.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a person look astatine the details of the game.

How person South Africa fared astatine World Cup 2026?

South Africa played successful the opening crippled of the tournament, but were defeated by co-hosts Mexico.

The 2-0 reverse successful Mexico City was followed by a 1-1 draw against Czechia, with Thapelo Maseko’s second-half punishment earning the constituent successful Atlanta.

The crunch crippled came successful Monterrey with a triumph needed against South Korea – Maseko scored the lone extremity to down the Asian giants and unafraid Bafana Bafana’s advancement to the knockout signifier successful 2nd spot successful Group A.

How person Canada fared astatine World Cup 2026?

Canada were the 2nd crippled that was played astatine the tournament, erstwhile the chap co-hosts drew 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Cyle Larin scored Canada’s extremity to level matters lone 121 seconds aft coming connected arsenic 76th infinitesimal sub.

Jonathan David netted a hat-trick against 2022 tourney hosts, Qatar, successful a 6-0 drubbing that ensured Canada’s transition to the knockouts – and grabbed the headlines for downing the back-to-back Asian champions successful specified a fashion.

Top spot successful the radical was denied them, however, with a 2-1 decision by Switzerland successful the last circular of games successful the radical .

South Africa signifier guide

South Africa: D-D-L-D-W (Last 5 games, latest effect last)

South Africa had gone 7 games without a win, losing three, earlier beating South Korea to scope the past 32.

The winless tally began with their 2-1 decision by Cameroon successful January which sealed their elimination from the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Canada guardant Jonathan David scored a hat-trick against Qatar [Simon Fearn/Reuters]

Canada signifier guide

Canada: W-D-D-W-L (Last 5 games, latest effect first)

Canada’s decision astatine the hands of Switzerland was their archetypal successful 11 matches.

The 10-match undefeated run, 8 successful planetary friendlies anterior to the World Cup, included 4 wins.

The past decision earlier the tourney was a 1-0 reverse successful a affable with Australia.

South Africa vs Canada predictions

Opta’s supercomputer has calculated a 66 percent accidental of Canada reaching the past 16.

Their accidental of reaching the quarterfinals drops, however, to 25 percent with lone a 2 percent accidental of reaching the final.

South Africa’s accidental of reaching the semifinals is hardly implicit 1 percent.

Who are the imaginable past 16 opponents for the winner?

Either the Netherlands oregon Morocco volition play the winner.

An all-African last-16 necktie is truthful successful the offing. It would beryllium a mouth-watering clash betwixt Bafana Bafana against the present ascendant squad from the northbound of the continent, who were the archetypal African broadside to scope the past 4 of a World Cup erstwhile they did truthful astatine Qatar 2022.

Only 4 African nations, Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana completing the pack, person reached the quarterfinals of a World Cup.

Head-to-head

They person met antecedently lone once, with South Africa winning 2-0 successful a affable successful 2007.

South Africa squad news

Teboho Mokoena returns from a one-game suspension, picked up for yellowish cards successful each of South Africa’s archetypal 2 games, that forced the 29-year-old to miss the lucifer against South Korea.

Themba Zwane remains suspended, however, pursuing the reddish paper helium was shown successful the opener against Mexico.

Mokoena could travel successful for Yaya Sithole successful midfield.

Predicted South Africa starting lineup

Williams (goalkeeper); Mudau, Mbokazi, Okon, Modiba; Mbatha, Mokoena; Maseko, Mofokeng, Appollis; Makgopa

Canada squad news

Ismael Kone’s fractured tibia, sustained against Qatar, keeps him out.

Stephen Eustaquio and Alfie Jones some person knocks and look precocious fittingness tests.

In immoderate bully news, Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies could marque the seat arsenic helium continues his comeback from a hamstring injury, that kept him retired of the radical signifier matches.

Predicted Canada starting lineup

Crepeau (goalkeeper); Johnston, De Fougerolles, Cornelius, Laryea; Buchanan, Eustaquio, Saliba, Ahmed; David, Larin