South Africa vs South Korea Prediction. South Africa need a win in their final Group A game against South Korea at Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe on Thursday, 25 June 2026 (01:00 UTC / 04:00 EAT). Sithole and Zwane are suspended. South Korea need only a draw to qualify. Mexico are already through. Our prediction: both teams to score. Full analysis, team news and all markets on SportPesa.
Match details
| Field | Detail |
| Competition | 2026 FIFA World Cup — Group A, Match Day 3 |
| Date & kick-off | Thursday, 25 June 2026 at 01:00 UTC / 04:00 EAT |
| Venue | Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe (Monterrey area), Nuevo León, Mexico |
| Group A standings | After Match Day 2: Mexico 6pts (through), South Korea 3pts, Czechia 1pt, South Africa 1pt |
| Stakes | South Korea need a draw to qualify. South Africa need a win and Czechia to drop points vs Mexico. |
| Where to watch | DSTV/GOTV |
Bafana Bafana’s last stand vs Korea’s qualification mission
South Africa’s 2026 World Cup campaign has been a story of near-misses and hard lessons. An opening 2-0 defeat to Mexico, during which both Yaya Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off, left Hugo Broos’ side with an uphill task. The 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic on Match Day 2 showed character but was ultimately insufficient. South Africa last appeared at a World Cup in 2010 when they hosted the tournament and failed to make it out of the group stage.
With Sithole and Zwane suspended, Teboho Mokoena and Jayden Adams retain the midfield roles they filled against Czechia. Percy Tau remains the attacking catalyst. Broos will need Bafana Bafana to produce a complete performance for the first time in this tournament — scoring, defending cleanly, and capitalising on any Korean slip. A win also requires Czechia to take something off Mexico simultaneously, adding an element of luck beyond their control.
South Korea need only a draw to guarantee their place in the Round of 32. Hwang In-Beom and Oh Hyeon-Gyu have both scored in the tournament and are expected to retain their starting positions. The team are set to be unchanged from the XI that started in the Mexico defeat. Son Heung-min captains the side and remains South Korea’s most experienced and dangerous forward.
South Korea’s qualification situation means they may approach this match with some pragmatism — a professional draw is theoretically sufficient. But they have scored eight goals in their last five matches and will not be passive. The quality of their attack means South Africa’s defensive vulnerabilities, already exposed twice in this tournament, are likely to be tested again.
Suspensions and availability
| Player | Status |
| Yaya Sithole (South Africa) | SUSPENDED — red card vs Mexico, MD1 |
| Themba Zwane (South Africa) | SUSPENDED — red card vs Mexico, MD1 |
Team news and expected line-ups
South Africa: Mokoena and Adams retain midfield roles (filled in for suspended players). Tau leads the attack. Makgopa and Foster on bench. Broos expected to name strongest available XI.
South Korea: Unchanged XI expected. Son Heung-min captains. Hwang In-Beom and Oh Hyeon-Gyu retain starting roles after scoring in the tournament.
| South Africa (4-4-2 expected) | South Korea (4-2-3-1 expected) |
| Williams (GK) | Kim S-G (GK) |
| Mudau (RB) | Kim T-H (RB) |
| Sishuba (CB) | Kim M-H (CB) |
| Siboto (CB) | Kim Y-G (CB) |
| Modiba (LB) | Lee Y-J (LB) |
| Mokoena (RM) | Jeong W-Y (DM) |
| Adams (CM) | Hwang I-B (DM) |
| Tau (CM) | Lee K-H (RM) |
| Mofokeng (LM) | Son H-M (AM) |
| Makgopa (ST) | Oh H-G (LM) |
| Zinnbauer (ST) | Cho G-S (ST) |
Key stats
- South Africa: 1pt from 2 matches. Lost Mexico 2-0 (MD1), drew Czechia 1-1 (MD2).
- South Africa: 7-game winless run. Last win was before the tournament.
- South Africa: Yaya Sithole and Themba Zwane both suspended — red cards vs Mexico.
- Teboho Mokoena and Jayden Adams: filled in for the suspended duo vs Czechia — retained.
- Percy Tau (Al Ahly): South Africa’s main attacking catalyst.
- Evidence Makgopa: impact substitute. Bench again.
- Lyle Foster: unused substitute last match. Bench.
- South Africa last World Cup: 2010 (as hosts). Failed to reach knockout stage.
- South Korea: 3pts from 2 matches. Beat Czechia 2-1 (MD1), lost Mexico 1-0 (MD2).
- South Korea form (last 5): L W W W L — scored 8 goals, conceded 2.
- Hwang In-Beom: has scored in the tournament. Expected to start.
- Oh Hyeon-Gyu: has scored in the tournament. Expected to start alongside Hwang.
- Son Heung-min (Tottenham): South Korea captain and most experienced forward.
- H2H: first ever meeting between South Africa and South Korea in any fixture.
- Group A standings (after MD2): Mexico 6pts, South Korea 3pts, Czechia 1pt, South Africa 1pt.
Head-to-head
South Africa and South Korea have never previously met in any fixture — competitive or friendly. This World Cup Group A match is the first ever encounter between the two nations.
Current form
| Team | Last 5 (inc. WC) |
| South Africa | D L D D L — 7-game winless run |
| South Korea | L W W W L — scored 8, conceded 2 in last 5 |
Our prediction
This is a high-stakes, emotionally charged match for South Africa. Their campaign has been undermined by the early suspensions, but the Czechia draw showed they can compete and find the net. The urgency of needing a win means Broos will set up to attack.
South Korea’s clinical edge — Hwang, Oh, and Son in attack — combined with South Africa’s defensive vulnerabilities makes it likely that the Koreans score. South Africa will also need to score, driving them forward and leaving space. The contest between these two attacking motivations points to an open match.
Our prediction: both teams to score.
Odds and markets
Odds correct at 0400 hrs UTC on 25/06/2026 and subject to change.
How to bet on SportPesa
- Open the South Africa vs South Korea event page on SportPesa (link above).
- Choose your market — Single Bet (SB), Multi-Bet (MB), or Live Bet (LB) once the match starts.
- Enter your stake and place your bet.
Frequently asked questions
What time does South Africa vs South Korea kick off?
Kick-off is at 01:00 UTC / 04:00 EAT on Thursday, 25 June 2026, at Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe (Monterrey area), Nuevo León, Mexico.
Can South Africa qualify from Group A?
South Africa need to win this match and also need Czechia to drop points against Mexico in the simultaneous Group A match. A South Africa win alone is not enough — they are level on points with Czechia and would need other results to go their way as well.
Why are Sithole and Zwane suspended?
Both Yaya Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off during South Africa’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico on Match Day 1. Both are suspended for this final group match.
Do South Korea need to win to qualify?
No. South Korea need only a draw to secure their place in the Round of 32. They currently have three points from their first two matches, which is enough to qualify if they avoid defeat here.
What group are South Africa and South Korea in at World Cup 2026?
Both sides are in Group A alongside Mexico and the Czech Republic. After Match Day 2, Mexico have already qualified with six points. South Korea are second with three, while South Africa and Czechia are level on one point each.
READ ALSO: Switzerland vs Canada Prediction