In football, we know anything can happen, and one such thing is South Africa qualifying for the next round of 32 in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup match. Not many football lovers expected them to qualify, especially as they have received criticism for their xenophobic acts against Nigerians and other Africans living in their country.
South Africa moved into second place in Group A after defeating South Korea 1-0. A second-half strike from Thapelo Maseko in the 62nd minute helped South Africa earn all three points from the match. This win makes them the sixth African nation to record a win in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Other countries that have also recorded a win include Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and the Ivory Coast.
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Before South Africa’s match against South Korea, they had recorded only one point from two games. The first game was a 2-0 loss to Mexico, and the second game was a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic. Many critics were expecting them to crash out of the World Cup at the group stages, as they openly condemned the xenophobic acts from South Africans.
Backstory on South Africa
The South African male football team has gathered enough enemies through their current xenophobic acts against other Africans living in South Africa. Football critics have been pushing for them to be knocked out of the group stages in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, they have qualified for round 32 of the football tournament. Their qualification has sent shock waves to their critics, who are now blaming South Korea for not living up to expectations and also hoping the African team gets to meet a tougher opponent in the knockout stages to end their run.
