2026 World Cup: How Much South Africa Is Entitled to After Historic Round of 32 Qualification
- South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0 to qualify for the 2026 World Cup round of 32 on Thursday, June 25, 2026
- Thapelo Maseko's lone goal in the 63rd minute cemented the Bafana Bafana's place as runners-up of Group A
- The one-time AFCON winners are set to earn an increased prize money ahead of their knockout match against Canada on Sunday, June 28
South Africa produced a superb performance against South Korea in their final group-stage match at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Mamelodi Sundowns forward Thapelo Maseko's 63rd-minute strike proved decisive in Monterrey, securing a 1-0 victory that confirmed Bafana Bafana as Group A runners-up and sent them into the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time in their history.
Source: Getty Images
South Africa will now travel to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, where they will face Group B runners-up Canada in the Round of 32.
The 1996 Africa Cup of Nations champions recovered impressively after losing their opening match 2-0 to co-hosts Mexico before earning a 1-1 draw against Czechia in their second fixture.
Bafana Bafana are making their first World Cup appearance since hosting the tournament in 2010, per Olympics.
How much South Africa will earn after historic qualification
South Africa are set to receive a significant financial boost following their qualification for the Round of 32, thanks to FIFA's enhanced prize-money structure for the 2026 World Cup.
Every nation that qualified for the tournament received $1.5 million to support its preparation costs.
By advancing to the Round of 32, South Africa have secured an additional $11 million in prize money, per BBC.
As a result, Bafana Bafana have already guaranteed themselves total earnings of $12.5 million from the tournament, with the possibility of earning even more should they progress further.
Meanwhile, South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was lost for words after the final whistle, but not to the extent of not being able to hit back at their critics and doubters.
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The captain expressed pride in the effort of his teammates and praised the level at which they play and the valuable experience they are gaining.
The Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper confirmed that head coach Hugo Broos was under immense stress throughout the game and urged the team to shore up the defence. He said:
“To play at this elite level is not easy. To keep a clean sheet against such quality opposition, to perform the way we did, defend the way we did, speaks volumes about the character of this team. We were under siege, but we stayed strong."
South Africa defies supercomputer predictions
Earlier, Legit.ng highlighted facts about South Africa's historic qualification for the World Cup knockout stage, a feat never achieved before by Bafana Bafana.
With a stunning victory over South Korea, Bafana Bafana defied all odds and supercomputer predictions, marking a significant milestone in their football history that will resonate for generations.
Source: Legit.ng
