World Cup LIVE: Knockout stages begin with co-hosts Canada taking on Bafana Bafana

[h2]Today's matches:[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/canada-x4toKORL/south-africa-W2ijYvlr/?mid=EZmXxG15"]Canada vs South Africa - 21:00 CET[/a][/b][/p][h2]Live updates:[/h2][p][b]14:31 CET -[/b] The knockout rounds are now here, so we have created a Team of the Group Stage, using [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/rating/WtG2SIIU/"]our new player ratings system[/a]. It is certainly star-studded, with the likes of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olise-michael/E5pvwqkK/"]Michael Olise[/a] all included.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/soccer-world-championship-world-cup-team-of-the-group-stage-messi-mbappe-dembele-among-star-studded-lineup/AcjbnbBl/"]Check that article out now![/a][/b][/p][image alt="Team of the Group Stage" id="9c492ee9-247d-4f00-b4fb-43ac43c7cf52" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="5a320f62-fd62-4b39-a6dc-1822b1b85f96" original-width="1080" original-height="1350" /][p][b]13:00 CET - [/b]Well, we've made it to the knockouts, and now 'only' 32 teams remain at the 2026 World Cup, but not for long. And that's because it's all do or die from here on in, with the tournament set to whittle down to just 16 by the end of next week.[/p][p]After a few hugely action-packed days to end the group stage, we have a bit of breathing space now, with just one match all evening. And that sees World Cup co-hosts [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/x4toKORL/"]Canada[/a] taking on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/W2ijYvlr/"]South Africa[/a] in Southern California.[/p][video alt="South Africa vs Canada (video preview)" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="76f164b7-924b-4816-90a9-c2a55e17fec5" id="3fa126c3-278f-4bb3-9f9c-3a9f75c29bed" /][p]The Canadians surrendered their home advantage by failing to top Group B, but they are still alive and will fancy their chances against a Bafana Bafana side that were diabolically bad in their opening two matches before somehow edging [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-korea/K6Gs7P6G/"]South Korea[/a] to progress against the odds.[/p][p]The fact that South Africa are still at the World Cup might surprise even their own fans... But here they are, and they too will be counting their lucky stars for managing to avoid one of the top teams in the second stage, even if they will be underdogs again this evening.[/p][image alt="Live winning probability" id="b7d2b83a-7e41-43e1-92ad-6270a273d027" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="2c33260e-5535-4f2c-ac3a-d3d46087350e" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]Kick-off is at 21:00 CET, and as ever, you will be able to follow every kick with our live audio commentary via the link at the top of the page.[/p][p][b]In case you missed it, catch up on all of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/soccer-world-cup-highlights-messi-kane-and-modric-all-break-records-as-group-stage-wraps/xjwrsy4C/"]yesterday's action with our daily highlights[/a], or relive all of the drama as it unfolded in our [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/soccer-fifa-world-cup-2026-day-17-live-updates/bFdRzr8j/"]day 17 live tracker![/a][/b][/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]