Kathmandu, June 28
The knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026, being held across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, all set to kick off from Monday midnight.
After 72 group-stage matches, the field of 32 teams advancing to the knockout round has been decided, while 16 teams have been eliminated. This edition, the largest World Cup ever, featuring 48 teams, now introduces a brand-new Round of 32 stage before the traditional Round of 16.
The first knockout match sees co-host Canada take on South Africa. Both teams are making their first-ever appearance in a World Cup knockout stage, having each finished as runners-up in their respective groups. It is also their first-ever World Cup encounter and only the second time the two sides have met overall. Their previous meeting was a friendly in Durban in 2007, when South Africa (known as Bafana Bafana) defeated Canada 2–0.
The match kicks off at 12:45 AM Nepal time on Monday at the Los Angeles Stadium. The winner will advance to the Round of 16 (pre-quarterfinals) to face the winner of the Netherlands vs. Morocco match.
