South Africa, South Korea meet with Group A on the line

South Africa and South Korea face a decisive Group A meeting at the 2026 World Cup, with both teams still in contention for the knockout stage.

Kick-off is scheduled for 04:30 on 4 July 2026 in their third and final group match. South Korea sit second in the group on three points after beating Czech Republic 2-1 and losing 1-0 to Mexico.

South Africa are bottom with one point. They opened with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico, then drew 1-1 with Czech Republic thanks to a late goal that kept their qualification hopes alive.

The group table leaves South Korea with the better position heading into the final round, while South Africa must win to improve their chances. Even with the expanded World Cup format and the possibility of some third-placed teams advancing, South Africa's margin for error is thin.

The stakes are simple: South Korea can stay on course for the last 16, while South Africa need a result to avoid an early exit.