South Africa and Canada have qualified for the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Both teams finished as runners-up in their respective groups. The knockout stage matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will commence tonight across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In the newly added Round of 32, Canada will face South Africa in the opening match. According to Nepal time, the game will kick off at 12:45 AM on Monday at Los Angeles Stadium, with the winner advancing to the Round of 16.
Kathmandu, 14 Ashad – The knockout stage matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will begin from tonight. After 72 group stage matches, the 32 teams progressing to the knockout rounds have been confirmed, and these matches are now moving forward. This edition is the largest World Cup to date, featuring 48 teams. Of these, 32 qualified for the knockout stage, while 16 teams were eliminated in the group phase.
The knockout stage includes the newly introduced Round of 32, where the first matches will be held. Host co-organizer Canada will compete against South Africa in the opening fixture. Both teams have made history by reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time, having finished as group runners-up.
This will be the first time these two sides face off in a World Cup match and only their second overall meeting. Their previous encounter was a friendly held in Durban in 2007, where South Africa defeated Canada 2-0.
South Africa, known as Bafana Bafana, advanced to the knockout stage as runners-up of Group A, while Canada progressed as runners-up of Group B.
Making history in the newly added Round of 32, South Africa and Canada now aim to reach the quarterfinals and continue their World Cup success. The match will begin at 12:45 AM Nepal time on Monday at the Los Angeles Stadium in the United States.
The winner of this match will face the winner between the Netherlands and Morocco in the Round of 16 or quarterfinals. The Round of 32 schedule marks the start of the knockout phase where winners progress to the Round of 16, while losers are eliminated. Each knockout match carries the importance of a final, as losing teams are immediately ousted from the tournament.
