South Africa beats S. Korea 1-0, becomes 6th African team to win at 2026 World Cup
South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0 thanks to a second-half goal from Thapelo Maseko in their final Group A match at Mexico City Stadium on Thursday, June 20, 2026. The win secured South Africa second place in the group with four points, sending them to the Round of 32 after earlier losses to Mexico (0-2) and a draw with Czechia (1-1).
This victory makes South Africa the sixth African nation to win a match at the 2026 World Cup, joining Egypt, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Morocco. According to DAILY POST, Ivory Coast was the first African winner (beating Ecuador 1-0), followed by Ghana (vs Panama), Morocco (vs Scotland and Haiti), Egypt (vs New Zealand), and Algeria (vs Jordan). Teams like Senegal, Cape Verde, DR Congo, and Tunisia remain winless in the tournament so far.
For African football fans, this shows continental teams can compete on football's biggest stage. South Africa's progression proves that even after a loss and a draw, advancement is possible with a crucial group-stage win. What does this African World Cup success mean for your hopes of seeing Nigeria make deep tournament runs in future editions?