Canada beats South Africa, reaches World Cup Round of 16 for first time

Stephen Eustáquio scored in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to lift Canada past South Africa 1-0 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and into the men’s World Cup Round of 16 for the first time. The winner came in the opening knockout match of the expanded 48-team tournament, and it made Canada the first side to secure a place in the last 16 at the 2026 World Cup.

The result carried weight well beyond one late finish. Canada had never won a World Cup knockout match before Sunday, and the victory turned a team that had already helped bring major attention to the tournament into one with a new record in the men’s game. South Africa, meanwhile, was eliminated after its first-ever World Cup knockout appearance.

Eustáquio’s goal settled a tense match that Canada had to close out under pressure. The 29-year-old midfielder, who plays professionally for Los Angeles FC, delivered the decisive strike in front of a crowd at SoFi Stadium, just outside Los Angeles. FIFA described the match as a Round of 32 meeting and said Eustáquio’s strike proved the difference between the two teams.

Canada coach Jesse Marsch made clear how he viewed the moment afterward, calling his players “Canadian heroes.” That label reflected more than a single result. Canada will now face the winner of the Netherlands vs. Morocco match in the Round of 16, with the chance to turn this breakthrough into a deeper run.

For Canadian soccer, the win changed the conversation from participation to proof. The men’s team entered the knockout stage with no World Cup knockout victories in its history; it left with one, plus a first trip to the Round of 16. In a tournament staged on home soil across North America, Canada used a late goal in Inglewood to add a result that can be measured in records, bracket position and the next opponent still to come.