South Africa and Morocco Advance to FIFA World Cup Round of 32
By Aneli Fura
South Africa and Morocco have secured their places in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following crucial victories in their final group-stage matches.
South Africa made history by reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the first time after defeating South Korea 1-0 in their Group A clash on Tuesday night. Thapelo Maseko scored the decisive goal in the second half to seal a famous victory for Bafana Bafana, who finished second in the group behind Mexico. South Africa will now face Canada in the Round of 32.
Meanwhile, Morocco booked their place in the knockout rounds after coming from behind to beat Haiti 4-2 in their final Group C encounter. Goals from Achraf Hakimi, Ismael Saibari, Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine helped the North Africans secure all three points and finish as runners-up in the group behind Brazil. Morocco will face the winners of Group F in the next round.
The qualification of both nations marks a significant achievement for African football, with South Africa celebrating a historic first appearance in the World Cup knockout stage while Morocco continue their impressive run on the global stage.
