South Africa have become the sixth African nation to record a victory at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating South Korea 1-0.
The Bafana Bafana secured the win in their final Group A fixture at Mexico City Stadium, with Thapelo Maseko scoring the decisive goal in the second half.
The result also helped South Africa finish second in their group with four points and advance to the Round of 32 stage.
Maseko goal sends South Africa through
After a difficult start to the tournament, South Africa produced a strong performance against South Korea to claim their first win.
Before the victory, the Bafana Bafana lost their opening match 2-0 against Mexico and played out a 1-1 draw with Czechia in their second group game.
The win provided a major boost as they secured qualification to the knockout phase.
African teams making impact at World Cup
South Africa’s victory adds them to a growing list of African nations that have won matches at the 2026 World Cup.
Other African teams to achieve the feat include Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Morocco, Egypt, and Algeria.
Côte d’Ivoire became the first African side to win a match after defeating Ecuador 1-0.
Ghana followed after beating Panama 1-0, while Morocco recorded two victories during the group stage.
Egypt secured their first win by defeating New Zealand 3-1, while Algeria completed the list before South Africa with a 2-1 victory over Jordan.
Some African teams still searching for wins
While several African countries have impressed, teams including Senegal, Cape Verde, DR Congo, and Tunisia are still waiting for their first victories at the tournament.
The performances continue to highlight Africa’s growing presence on football’s biggest stage.
