South Korea faces South Africa in a crucial 2026 World Cup group A encounter, with star forward Son Heung-min expected to start on the bench. South Korea needs just a draw to advance to the next round.

Mexico has already secured the top spot in group A, accumulating 6 points, 3 points ahead of South Korea with a superior head-to-head record. The co-host of the 2026 World Cup will proceed to face a third-placed team from groups C, E, F, H, or I in the round of 16.

South Korea's path to the knockout stage is straightforward: avoid defeat against South Africa. Should coach Hong Myung-bo's team draw, and the Czech Republic defeat Mexico, both South Korea and the Czech Republic would finish with 4 points. However, South Korea would still secure second place due to their 2-1 victory in the opening match against the Czech Republic.

South Africa, on the other hand, faces a more challenging task, needing an outright win against South Korea. A victory would give them 4 points, potentially securing a third-place finish and a chance to compete for a wildcard spot in the next round.

This upcoming match marks the first time South Korea and South Africa will meet in their history. The Asian representative is considered the stronger side, largely due to the higher quality of its players. In their second group match, South Korea performed evenly against Mexico but ultimately lost 0-1 following a mistake by goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu.

If South Korea advances, it will be their fourth time progressing past the group stage and their second consecutive appearance in the knockout rounds. Their best World Cup performance was reaching the semi-finals in 2002. In contrast, South Africa has not managed to advance beyond the group stage in their three previous World Cup appearances.