The first confirmed pairing of the 2026 World Cup’s newly created Round of 32 was settled in the early hours of Thursday, when Canada and South Africa learned they will meet in Los Angeles on Sunday. Canada secured passage as Group B runners-up despite a 2-1 defeat by Switzerland, their first-ever progression beyond the group stage sealed by an earlier 6-0 rout of Qatar and a draw with Bosnia. South Africa, equally unaccustomed to the knockout phase, edged South Korea 1-0 in Monterrey to claim second place in Group A behind Mexico. The match will be the first senior international between the two nations.

Mexico had already turned Group A into a procession. A 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic at the Azteca, with goals from Mateo Chávez, Julián Quiñones and Álvaro Fidalgo, completed a perfect nine-point campaign with six goals scored and none conceded. Switzerland topped Group B with seven points after coming from behind to beat Canada, while Brazil matched that tally in Group C, defeating Scotland 3-0 in Miami on the night Neymar returned from a calf injury. Morocco joined Brazil in the last 32 as runners-up, overwhelming Haiti 4-2.

The tournament’s expanded 48-team format, with 12 groups of four, means eight of the 12 third-placed finishers also advance. Bosnia-Herzegovina became the first side to exploit that route, their four points and a goal difference of minus one proving sufficient after a 3-1 win over Qatar. South Korea, with three points and a minus-one goal difference, must wait on results elsewhere, as do Sweden, Croatia, Algeria, Paraguay and Scotland, all currently on three points but separated by goals scored and disciplinary records. European analysts have flagged the risk of collusive draws in the final group matches, noting that four points is likely to be enough for a third-placed side to progress, a scenario that could tempt teams to settle for a mutually convenient result.

Thirteen nations have now mathematically secured their places: Mexico, Switzerland, Brazil, the United States, Germany, France, Norway, Argentina, Colombia, Portugal, Canada, Morocco and South Africa. Seven others—the Czech Republic, Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia, Jordan, Qatar and Panama—are eliminated. The remaining 19 berths will be determined over the coming days as the final round of group fixtures unfolds. Group winners such as Argentina and Germany must wait for the third-placed ranking table to crystallise before learning their opponents, a quirk of the format that injects uncertainty into the bracket until the last whistle of the group stage.