The six-game group stage slates are in the rearview mirror. In their place comes something even better: win-or-go-home World Cup football.
The knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup begins Sunday afternoon as co-host Canada takes on South Africa at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in the tournament’s first Round of 32 matchup.
Canada advanced after finishing second in Group B with one win, one draw and one loss, while South Africa secured second place in Group A thanks to a dramatic second-half winner over South Korea on the final matchday to finish with the same 1-1-1 record. Now, with a place in the Round of 16 on the line, there is no margin for error for either side.
Let’s breakdown how Canada vs South Africa looks from a sports betting perspective with current odds from Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.
Canada vs South Africa current odds
While this is the first knockout round match and only one team will move on, the three-way moneyline is still available for the initial 90 minutes (plus stoppage time) – where Canada is the betting favorite.
- Canada to win: -150
- Tie: +260
- South Africa to win: +500
Canada vs South Africa – odds to advance
If you’re not interested in sweating the draw in regulation, Hard Rock Bet players can opt for the ‘To Advance’ market. Simply put, you’re betting on who advances to the next round – whether it’s in regulation, or from extra time or penalties.
- Canada to Advance: -325
- South Africa to Advance: +250
South Africa vs Sweden Prediction
To source our prediction for this win-or-go-home clash, we’re heading to the Hard Rock Bet Stats Hub for inspiration:
The Pick: Canada-South Africa under 2.5 goals
Look, unders aren’t always the most fun to sweat – everyone loves goals – but the reality is that they don’t always come. Knockout soccer can be cagey, timid, and cautious. The stakes are higher, there’s more gravity built into every action, and neither of these teams have experience to draw on which could set the stage for a low scoring affair.
Further, per the Hard Rock Bet Stats Hub, when South Africa has been an underdog at the World Cup, as they are in this matchup, the under 2.5 goals game prop has hit in seven straight. They’ve only scored twice in three games so far, so the under 2.5 goals seems to make sense here.
The Pick: Cyle Larin Anytime Goalscorer
Jonathan David bagged the hat trick earlier in the tournament but #9 Cyle Larin has been a consistent threat for Team Canada throughout the World Cup. In the last two game that Canada has been favored, against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar, Larin has found the net. They’re favored again against South Africa and Larin should have plenty of chances.
Update: Larin starts on the bench, Oluwaseyi in
The lineups are out and it looks like Cyle Larin is starting on the bench, like he did against Bosnia. Tani Oluwaseyi will start as Jonathan David’s attack partner like he did in the World Cup opener against Bosnia. The fact that he started the opener of the World Cup for Jesse Marsch and is getting the nod again in Canada’s first ever knockout round game at the World Cup signals trust in the Villareal forward, so I’m comfortable pivoting the Larin play to Oluwaseyi at +250.
Plus, against Bosnia, Larin replaced Oluwaseyi after 76 minutes and scored just two minutes later… and with Hard Rock Bet’s built-in Super Sub promotion, if that happens again it would cash our bet.
Futures Odds for South Africa, Canada
With the field dwindling, futures odds are starting to tighten. Long term believers of both teams can currently jump on board at the following prices, though both remain significant underdogs in the tourney.
Current Odds that South Africa wins the World Cup
- South Africa to win the World Cup: +100000 (1,00/1)
Current Odds that Canada wins the World Cup
- Canada to win the World Cup: +25000 (250/1)
South Africa vs Canada Match Info
- šĀ Location: Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi), Los Angeles, CA
- š Ā Date: Sunday, June 28
- ā°Ā Start Time: 3:00pm ET
- šŗĀ Where to Watch: FOX, Telemundo
- šĀ Stage: World Cup Knockout – Round of 32
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