South Africa - South Korea / 2026 FIFA World Cup

Follow the LIVE broadcast of the South Africa vs. South Korea match in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on ŠPORT.sk! The match, which can also be watched live on JOJ play, kicks off at 03:00 CET.

At Estadio Monterrey, the qualification scenarios for the final group stage match are crystal clear. The African representative faces only one acceptable outcome: an outright victory. Any other result will send South Africa home prematurely. On the other side, the Asian squad needs just one point from a draw to definitively secure second place in the group and guarantee their progression.

Coach Hugo Broos's charges kept their theoretical hopes of a historic knockout stage qualification alive thanks to a hard-fought point in their second match. They secured a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic with a successfully converted penalty in the dying moments of the game.

However, the team nicknamed "Bafana Bafana" is not currently enjoying a strong run of form. They are on an unenviable streak of seven international matches without a win. Their biggest weakness remains their defensive play, highlighted by the fact that they have kept a clean sheet in only one of their last eleven World Cup encounters.

South Korea's players find themselves in a much more comfortable position. Although they lost 0-1 to host Mexico in their second outing under coach Hong Myung-bo, their valuable opening 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic has left the door to the Round of 16 wide open.

Furthermore, the Asian team is on the verge of a significant historical milestone. If they win this match, they will become the first national team from their country to reach the knockout stage in two consecutive World Cups, building on their Round of 16 success from 2022. An interesting aspect of their current form is the complete absence of draws; in their last ten matches, the Koreans have not had a single stalemate, recording six wins and four losses.

Although this will be the first-ever encounter between these two national teams, World Cup statistics promise a highly engaging spectacle. South Korea does not have an impressive record against African teams on football's biggest stage, having won only one of their four previous matches.

Looking at the offensive trends of both teams, an attractive, high-scoring game seems likely. South Africa has managed to score exactly two goals in all three of their previous final group stage matches at the World Cup. South Korea lives up to its reputation, having also scored two goals in four of their last six group stage matches at the World Cup. However, the Asian team's recent defensive statistics slightly contradict the idea of a wild shootout, as both teams have scored in only one of their last ten matches.