SPORT: Canada Knock South Africa Out Of 2026 FIFA World Cup

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

South Africa’s historic run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to an end on Sunday after Bafana Bafana suffered a heartbreaking 1–0 defeat to Canada in their Round of 32 clash at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California.

The match appeared destined for extra time before Canadian captain Stephen Eustáquio struck deep into second-half stoppage time with a powerful long-range effort, handing the co-hosts their first-ever victory in the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup.

The defeat ended South Africa’s best-ever World Cup campaign after Hugo Broos’ side had made history by reaching the knockout rounds for the first time, securing qualification with a 1–0 victory over South Korea thanks to Thapelo Maseko’s decisive goal.

Despite their elimination, Bafana Bafana earned widespread praise for surpassing their previous World Cup performances and becoming one of Africa’s standout teams at the expanded 48-team tournament. Canada will now face either the Netherlands or Morocco in the Round of 16 as they continue their quest for a maiden World Cup title.