South Africa face Canada after first World Cup knockout berth
Hugo Broos says Bafana Bafana are ready for Canada after a win over South Korea put South Africa into the World Cup knockouts for the first time.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
South Africa will play Canada on Sunday in Los Angeles after reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time, AFP reported. The last-32 match gives coach Hugo Broos a chance to extend a run that has already lifted Bafana Bafana beyond their previous tournament best.
AFP reported that the 74-year-old Belgian, who has coached South Africa since 2021, described the achievement as a major moment for a team that had exited in the first round at the 1998, 2002 and 2010 World Cups. Broos said his squad is prepared for Canada, who are 22 places above South Africa in the world rankings.
South Africa recovered after a poor start
According to AFP, South Africa opened Group A with a 2-0 defeat to co-hosts Mexico, a performance Broos later said was below standard. Bafana Bafana then drew 1-1 with Czechia after a late penalty from Teboho Mokoena, leaving the team needing a win against South Korea.
South Africa secured second place in the group with a 1-0 victory over higher-ranked South Korea, AFP reported. Winger Thapelo Maseko scored the goal that sent the team into the knockout round.
Broos told AFP that his players “believed in itself” against South Korea. “It was a hugely emotional moment – getting past the group stage for the first time,” he said.
Broos said South Africa had been under pressure after the Mexico and Czechia results. “We are ready for the Canadians. My team will fight for 90 minutes, and longer if necessary. Let us hope for another good result,” he told AFP.
Broos pushes back at critics
AFP reported that Broos also reacted angrily to criticism that followed the opening loss to Mexico. He said criticism came from current and former coaches, players and some supporters, and added that he does not read social media.
Broos told AFP that he works on his own terms. He also said that when someone suggested South Africans should build a statue for him, he replied that it should be made of wood so it could burn quickly if the team failed.
According to AFP, South Africa struggled for much of the decade after hosting the 2010 World Cup, often failing to reach the Africa Cup of Nations and missing three consecutive World Cups. AFP reported that Bafana Bafana were drawing crowds of fewer than 200 when Broos took over, but attracted 50,000 supporters for a warm-up match before the 2026 World Cup.
Broos arrived with a strong record in African football, having led Cameroon to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations title, AFP reported. South Africa later finished third at the 2024 AFCON and won a 2026 World Cup qualifying group that included Nigeria, before a drop in form that included a last-16 exit at the 2025 AFCON and a seven-match winless run before beating South Korea.
AFP reported that Broos partly linked South Africa’s early 2025 AFCON exit to allegations before the tournament that he was racist and sexist. The allegations followed comments about defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s late arrival for training and about the player’s agent.
A South African Football Association official told AFP that Broos had made “an unfortunate choice of words” in a country with a painful racial history. AFP reported that threatened racism and sexism charges by a lawmaker did not materialise.
If South Africa beat Canada, AFP reported, they will play either the Netherlands or Morocco in the last 16.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.