The 2026 World Cup has its first confirmed matchup in the round of 32, with Canada set to face South Africa, following the “Bafana Bafana’s” historic victory over South Korea and their second-place finish in Group A.
South Africa’s advancement, however, not only affected the matchups in the knockout stage but also caused significant shakeups in the battle among the best third-place finishers.
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In fact, South Korea, despite its loss and remaining at three points with a goal difference of -1, still has a strong chance of advancing as one of the tournament’s eight best third-place teams, estimated at 95%.
Conversely, this development significantly complicates matters for other contenders vying for qualification via third place. The big loser of the night is Scotland, whose chances of reaching the knockout stage have dropped significantly, as it now depends to a greater extent on the results of the other groups.
