Canada will take their show on the road when they face South Africa in the round of 32 at Inglewood, Calif., on Sunday for the squad’s first ever trip into the knockout round of a World Cup.
Neither team was expected to be in the Los Angeles area for the round of 32, with South Africa also in the knockout round for the first time.
Canada’s 2-1 loss to Switzerland on Wednesday dropped them to second place in Group B and cost them the opportunity to play at Vancouver on Sunday. In contrast to the other co-hosts, Mexico and the United States, won their groups to remain on home soil.
“We would have loved to stay in Vancouver, there’s no doubt about that,” Canada defender Alistair Johnston said. “At the same time, if you told me a month ago that we’re going to have qualified second place in your group, guaranteed into the knockouts, and not sitting here in third place, having to wait on results — or in fourth place, obviously knowing that you’re done –I think I would have shaken your hand for that.”
South Africa pulled off a stunning 1-0 victory over favored South Korea on Wednesday to place second in Group A after they were a longshot to advance following a 2-0 loss to Mexico and a 1-1 tie with the Czech Republic.
In the most recent FIFA men’s world ranking, the loss dropped South Korea six spots to No. 31 while South Africa moved up six spots to No. 54.
“We were not good against Mexico and a little better against the Czechs. That meant we had to defeat Korea. There was enormous pressure on us, but we made it,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said.
“We are ready for the Canadians. My team will fight for 90 minutes, and longer if necessary. Let us hope for another good result.”
The 74-year-old Broos, who is from Belgium, was proud that his team stuck to the plan and improved.
“I’m very proud of my team and I think we gave really a good answer to all those big mouths from previous weeks who wanted us to change things and wanted to tell us what we need to do,” Bros said.
The availability for Canada captain Alphonso Davies remains in question. The star left back for Bayern Munich has not played since sustaining a hamstring injury in a Champions League semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain on May 6.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch said prior to the Switzerland match that Davies was available. He did not play and afterward, Marsch said it was a decoy.
Thursday, Marsch was asked if Davies would return.
“Yes. Nobody’s going to take that as anything but hyperbole, but he’s going to play,” Marsch said.
When pressed if Davies would start, Marsch said, “We’ll see.”
Bafana Bafana, as the South Africa side is known, will get a boost with the addition of key midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who was suspended against South Korea for accumulating yellow cards in the first two matches.
Players with single yellow cards after the group stage was completed had those wiped away.
Marsch, who is from the United States, is trying to turn the disappointment of playing in Los Angeles into a positive, noting most of Canada’s positive results in recent years, at the 2024 Copa America and the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, were in the U.S.
“Obviously we wanted to stay in Canada and play in front of our fans and use all that energy, but it’s also a big mental load on our team, like being around town, people around the hotel, it’s a little bit of a circus, you know,” Marsch said. “I mean, it’s one we’ve really enjoyed but I do think that going away will give us a little bit more pause and calmness around the experience and make sure that we can focus in totally on exactly what the match is, which I think will be good for us.”
