Following the conclusion of the third round of group stage matches at the 2026 World Cup, the first playoff pairing of the tournament has been confirmed, delivering a somewhat unexpected matchup.
South Africa, who finished second in Group A after defying many predictions by defeating South Korea, will face the runner-up of Group B—one of the tournament hosts—Canada. This encounter is scheduled for June 28, with kickoff set for 19:00 UTC.
Prior to this, Canada dominated Qatar with a 6-0 victory, drew 1-1 against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and suffered a 1-2 defeat to Switzerland in Group B. Meanwhile, South Africa lost 0-2 to Mexico, shared points in a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic, and secured a 1-0 win over South Korea in Group A.
It is worth recalling that the tournament’s playoff stage includes the top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams from the 12 groups.
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