The 2026 World Cup continues on Sunday as the Round of 32 begins and the remaining teams involved have their eyes on a world title. Tournament co-hosts Canada and South Africa will play the only match of the day as there is no tomorrow for match losers going forward.
Here’s what you need to know for Day 18 of the World Cup.
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Sunday, June 28 | 3 p.m. ET | Inglewood, California | TV: Fox
Odds: Canada (-320), South Africa (+250), Tie (+260)
Canada is the only one of the World Cup’s three co-hosts who will play a knockout round match out of their country. While the United States will meet Bosnia and Hezegovina in San Francisco and Mexico faces a third-place team at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Jesse Marsch’s side has to travel to California to play at SoFi Stadium.
Despite being away from home soil, Canada’s players are embracing the opportunity.
“We really like an away crowd, because it just gives you that extra motivation to prove all the fans around you wrong,” said forward Tani Oluwaseyi.
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The status of captain Alphonso Davies is the biggest question mark for Canada. Marsch said the defender would be fit after Davies sat out all three group games due to a hamstring injury.
“That he can have a big impact, both on us physically and football-wise, but also mentally, psychologically, to have our captain back, our best player back in the team,” Marsch said.
Canada and South Africa both went 1-1-1 in group play with Bafana Bafana clinching their Round of 32 place in dramatic fashion with a 1-0 win over South Korea on Wednesday.
Ismaël Koné (broken leg) is out for Canada and Stephen Eustáquio is questionable to play. Moïse Bombito will be available. Teboho Mokoena will return from red-card suspension for South Africa, but Themba Zwane will sit for one more match after being sent off against Mexico.
The winner of this match will face either Morocco or the Netherlands on July 4 in Houston.
