South Africa Just Did Canada’s World Cup Team A Huge Favor
Key takeaways
- Sports Money South Africa Just Did Canada’s World Cup Team A Huge Favor By Ian Nicholas Quillen,
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- But they undeniably avoided the worst-case scenario when Group A played out later on Wednesday night.
Sports Money South Africa Just Did Canada’s World Cup Team A Huge Favor By Ian Nicholas Quillen,
--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Summary Canada, finishing second in Group B, avoided a "worst-case scenario" by drawing South Africa instead of South Korea for their World Cup knockout match in Inglewood, California. South Africa's upset win over South Korea was a major break for Canada. Facing South Korea would have meant playing against a massive home crowd, as Los Angeles boasts the largest Korean community outside of Korea. This significant fan support would have created a de facto away game for Canada, impacting both team psychology and referee decisions. Ticket prices for Canada's match dropped sharply after South Korea was eliminated from that specific pairing, highlighting the fan factor. Canada thus dodged a tougher opponent and a hostile environment.
GUADALUPE, MEXICO - JUNE 24: Mbekezeli Mbokazi #14 of South Africa applauds fans after the 1-0 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match between South Africa and Korea Republic at Monterrey Stadium on June 24, 2026 in Guadalupe, Mexico. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)FIFA via Getty ImagesWhen Canada lost 2-1 to Switzerland on Wednesday night and settled for a second place finish in Group B, they knew the consequence would be having to travel to the United States for the World Cup knockout phase.