South Africa vs South Korea — Live Score, How to Watch & Preview

GROUP A · 2026 World Cup

South Africa

1 – 0

South Korea

Full time

South Africa vs South Korea has finished in GROUP A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Current score: South Africa 1–0 South Korea (full-time). Watch via your national World Cup broadcaster — the full country-by-country TV & streaming list is below.

📰 South Africa vs South Korea — match news

Match ReportSouth Africa stun South Korea 1-0 in World Cup Group AThapelo Maseko’s second-half strike and a heroic defensive display gave South Africa a vital win over possession-heavy South Korea, keeping their knockout hopes alive.PreviewSouth Africa vs South Korea: World Cup Group A ShowdownSouth Africa face a must-win clash against South Korea in Group A, with Bafana Bafana needing a victory to keep their World Cup hopes alive against a Korean side aiming for the knockout stages.

South Africa vs South Korea was played in GROUP A of the 2026 World Cup. Below you’ll find the live score, the kickoff time in your own timezone, exactly where to watch in every country, the full head-to-head record and the key players to watch.

South Africa vs South Korea — match facts

Competition	2026 FIFA World Cup
Stage	GROUP A
Date	Thu, Jun 25
Kick-off (UTC)	01:00 AM UTC
Kick-off (your time)	…
Status	Full-time
Score	South Africa 1–0 South Korea

Match Performance

South Africa beat South Korea 1–0.

Match report

Summary

South Africa beat South Korea 1–0 in GROUP A stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

How it unfolded

The match finished 1–0. Goal-by-goal details are being confirmed and will appear here once the data feed publishes them.

What this result means

Result counts toward the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The top two teams in each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the Round of 32.

Match preview

South Africa and South Korea meet in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with both sides aiming to advance from a group that also features heavyweights Brazil and Serbia. South Africa, returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, rely on a disciplined defensive structure and rapid counter-attacks. Under coach Hugo Broos, Bafana Bafana have shown resilience, with a strong midfield anchored by Teboho Mokoena and the creative spark of Percy Tau. Their recent form has been mixed, but they will be buoyed by a solid defensive record in qualifying. South Korea, perennial World Cup participants, possess a blend of European-based talent and domestic stars. Coach Jürgen Klinsmann has instilled a high-pressing, possession-based style, with Son Heung-min leading the line. The Koreans are dangerous from set pieces and have pace on the flanks through Lee Kang-in. Key battles will be in midfield, where South Africa's physicality meets Korea's technical ability. South Africa need to contain Son and exploit set-piece opportunities, while South Korea must break down a compact defense. Both teams will see this as a winnable match, crucial for progression hopes.

Key players to watch

South Africa

Percy Tau (Al Ahly) — The creative hub, capable of unlocking defenses with dribbling and precise passes.
Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns) — Midfield engine, breaks up play and distributes effectively.
Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns) — Reliable goalkeeper, crucial for organizing defense and making key saves.

South Korea

Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) — Captain and talisman, lethal finisher and creator from wide areas.
Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) — Creative midfielder with excellent dribbling and set-piece delivery.
Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) — Dominant center-back, strong in duels and reads the game well.

How to watch South Africa vs South Korea — by country

Kickoff is … in your local time. Here’s the official broadcaster and stream in each country:

Australia

Australia: SBS has exclusive rights and is keeping the whole tournament free. All 104 matches air live and free on SBS, SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand — no subscription needed.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh: A consortium of state broadcaster BTV, T Sports and Star News has secured the rights (confirmed days before kickoff after an earlier deal collapsed). Matches air live on BTV (free-to-air), with T Sports and Star News on cable and the T Sports app/website for streaming. As terms were only just finalised, confirm exact channel splits with local listings.

Brazil

Brazil: Grupo Globo carries every Brazil match, the final and half the remaining games across TV Globo, SporTV and Globoplay. CazéTV streams all 104 matches live and free in 4K on YouTube, and free-to-air channel SBT shows a selection including Brazil games and knockouts. Easiest free option: CazéTV on YouTube.

Canada

Canada: Bell Media is the official broadcaster. All 104 matches air on TSN (English) and RDS (French) via cable, with select games — including Canada's matches, the opener and the final — free over the air on CTV. Stream on TSN+, the RDS app, or Crave.

Germany

Germany: Deutsche Telekom''s MagentaTV holds rights to all 104 matches (44 exclusive), requiring a subscription. ARD and ZDF each show 30 matches free-to-air — including all Germany games, the opening match, semi-finals and final — on TV and their online streams.

India

India: Zee Entertainment holds the official rights. All 104 matches air on the new Unite8 Sports 1/1 HD (Hindi) and Unite8 Sports 2/2 HD (English) TV channels, and stream on ZEE5 (paid subscription, from about Rs 799 for 3 months). There is no free-to-air option, so a ZEE5 plan or a TV pack carrying Unite8 Sports is needed.

Qatar

Qatar: beIN Sports holds exclusive MENA rights and airs all 104 matches live across its dedicated World Cup channels, with Arabic, English and French commentary. A beIN subscription is required; stream every game via the beIN Connect app or the TOD streaming service. No free-to-air coverage.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: beIN Sports holds exclusive rights and shows every match live across its FIFA World Cup channels with multi-language commentary. A subscription is needed; stream all 104 games through the TOD service or the beIN Connect app. No free-to-air option.

South Korea

South Korea: JTBC holds exclusive rights and, via a sublicensing deal, shares coverage with public broadcaster KBS. JTBC and its sports channels carry all 104 matches, while KBS provides free-to-air coverage of major fixtures. Check JTBC/KBS listings for specific games.

Spain

Spain: Public broadcaster RTVE shows selected matches free-to-air — including all Spain games, the opener, semi-finals and final — on La 1 and RTVE Play. Mediapro holds the wider package, distributed via pay-TV (DAZN), so full all-match coverage requires a paid subscription.

United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Every match is free-to-air, split between the BBC and ITV, who share the final. Watch live on BBC channels and BBC iPlayer, or on ITV1/ITV4 and ITVX, with no subscription required. In Scotland, STV/STV Player also carries selected matches.

United States

United States: Fox holds English-language rights to all 104 matches, with most games on the free-to-air Fox network and the rest on FS1; stream live on the Fox Sports app / Fox One. Telemundo carries Spanish-language coverage (with Universo), and Peacock is the exclusive Spanish-language streaming home for every match. Tip: a digital antenna gets Fox and Telemundo games free over the air.

Broadcast rights can change and some 2026 deals are finalised close to kickoff — always confirm with your local listings.

FAQ

When is South Africa vs South Korea?

South Africa vs South Korea kicks off on Thu, Jun 25 at 01:00 AM UTC — shown in your local time on this page — in GROUP A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

What is the score in South Africa vs South Korea?

The score is South Africa 1–0 South Korea (full-time). It updates automatically on this page.

How can I watch South Africa vs South Korea?

Through the official 2026 World Cup broadcaster in your country — for example BBC/ITV (UK, free), Fox & Telemundo (USA), beIN Sports (Middle East) and SBS (Australia, free). See the full country-by-country guide on this page.

Where is South Africa vs South Korea being played?

South Africa vs South Korea is played at a 2026 World Cup host venue in the USA, Canada or Mexico. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is co-hosted across 16 stadiums in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

What is at stake in South Africa vs South Korea?

Points in GROUP A of the 2026 World Cup. The top two teams in each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the new Round of 32 knockout stage.

What is the head-to-head record between South Africa and South Korea?

See the full head-to-head record and form guide in the analysis section above.

South Africa vs South Korea — 2026 World Cup

📰 South Africa vs South Korea — match news

South Africa vs South Korea — match facts

Match Performance

Match report

Summary

How it unfolded

What this result means

👕 Squads & positions

Match preview

Key players to watch

South Africa

South Korea

How to watch South Africa vs South Korea — by country

FAQ

When is South Africa vs South Korea?

What is the score in South Africa vs South Korea?

How can I watch South Africa vs South Korea?

Where is South Africa vs South Korea being played?

What is at stake in South Africa vs South Korea?

What is the head-to-head record between South Africa and South Korea?