The first Round of 32 match at World Cup 2026 pits co-hosts Canada against surprise qualifiers South Africa.
Jesse Marsch’s men failed to top their group, so now have to leave their homeland in search of of a first-ever knockout victory on this stage.
Canada’s first match was hosted in Toronto, before two games in the familiar setting of Vancouver.
But Sunday night’s clash is being held at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, and the removal of home advantage will certainly pique the interest of the South Africans.
We have previewed the big knockout game in full below, picking out some more betting tips based on the latest World Cup odds.
And with the Round of 32 close to getting underway, make sure to check out our new-look Bet Boosts page. Each day, the price of selected markets will be increased to provide NetBet customers with more winning potential!
Where can I watch South Africa vs Canada in the UK?
South Africa vs Canada will be broadcast live on TBC, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm UK time.
South Africa vs Canada Preview
Recent results
South Africa were expected to miss out on a place in the Round of 32, but finished second in their group following a shock 1-0 victory over South Korea in the early hours of Thursday morning, courtesy of a second-half goal from Thapelo Maseko. Bafana Bafana lost 2-0 to co-hosts Mexico in their opener, before earning a deserved 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic.
Canada’s 2-1 defeat to Switzerland saw them surrender top spot in Group B. Promise David’s late strike gave Marsch’s men hope, but the Swiss held on for victory in Vancouver. Les Rouges drew 1-1 with Bosnia & Herzegovina in their first match at the tournament, prior to securing a first-ever World Cup win with a 6-0 thrashing of Qatar – in which Jonathan David scored a hat-trick.
Head-to-head record
South Africa and Canada’s one and only previous meeting was way back in November 2007, with Bafana Bafana securing a 2-0 victory.
Team news
South Africa manager Hugo Broos has no fitness issues or suspensions to contend with, which is welcome news ahead of the nation’s first World Cup knockout match – a historical moment.
Ismael Kone and Alfie Jones are out injured for Canada, and Marsch has some big calls to make with regard to his XI. Will star man Alphonso Davies make his first appearance at the tournament? Is Promise to be rewarded for his goal-scoring cameo vs Switzerland? We will soon find out.
South Africa vs Canada Odds
*All odds are subject to change
South Africa are the underdogs ahead of kick-off, priced at 5.00 to claim the win. A victory for Canada is at far shorter odds of 1.69, while the draw after 90 minutes is 3.56.
South Africa vs Canada Betting Tips
Total goals – Under 2.5 @ 1.70
Knockout games are often far more conservative than group clashes, and these two sides are not renowned for scoring goals aplenty (well, aside from Canada’s aforementioned win over Qatar). Six of South Africa’s previous seven games saw under 2.5 goals netted, including all three at this tournament thus far, while only three of Canada’s last 13 matches saw three or more goals scored.
First half result – Draw @ 2.22
Drawing on the likelihood of this being a tense, nervy affair, predicting the scores to be level at half-time could be a wise call. Both teams went in at 0-0 during their previous matches, an outcome we would not be surprised to see occur here.
First half total goals – Under 0.5 @ 2.63
And if you are a firm believer that it will happen, backing the score to be 0-0 at half-time is priced pretty fairly – and could deliver some helpful profit for a second-half in-play bet. Between last October and April of this year, three of Canada’s six matches ended in a 0-0 draw. Food for thought…
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