South Africa and the Korean Republic clash in another win-or-go-home third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. South Africa is in a bad, bad position, as they have just one point in their last 2 games. The Koreans have 3 points, and a draw might not be enough for them to qualify if the Czech Republic wins against Mexico, which has already qualified.
Which nation will win this game, or what betting markets are best for this game? At TopBets, we have analyzed the teams’ data and past games to provide you with the top predictions for the South Africa v Korea Republic World Cup match. Continue reading below!
South Africa v Korea Republic Preview
South Africa and South Korea will face off for their second 2026 World Cup game at Estadio BBVA (Monterrey), Canada. These sides have not previously met, and this will be the first time they’ll be clashing in a competitive or friendly game.
Both sides look ready for this game, but which team will get the precious points? Will that influence your betting on this game? Let’s see the match details.
Match Details
Here are the South Africa v Korea Republic match details:
- Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026
- Matchday: Wednesday
- Date: 25th June, 2026
- Kick-off time: 2 AM Nigerian Time
- Venue: Estadio BBVA (Monterrey), Canada.
Why this Match Matters
This match matters because both teams will be desperate for qualification for the next round of this competition. South Africa and South Korea are desperate for points. South Africa and South Korea must win this game and hope that the Czech Republic doesn’t win their match to go through. A draw is not enough, and if either team fails to win this clash, they’ll be out of the competition.
South Africa v Korea Republic Head-to-Head Stats
South Africa and the Republic of Korea have not met previously, but we’ll bring you their recent games to evaluate their current form. Below are their recent results.
South Africa’s Recent Form
South Africa’s national team has been in bad form in their last 5 games. They have failed to win any of their last 5 games, scoring 3 goals in the run. Below is a table showcasing their last 5 matches:
South Africa’s Last Five Matches
| Date | Match | Result |
| 18/06/2026 | Czech Republic vs. South Africa | Draw 1-1 |
| 11/06/2026 | Mexico vs. South Africa | Loss 2-0 |
| 06/06/2026 | Jamaica vs. South Africa | Draw 1-1 |
| 29/05/2026 | South Africa vs. Nicaragua | Draw 0-0 |
| 31/03/2026 | South Africa vs. Panama | Loss 1-2 |
Goals Scored and Conceded
Across South Africa’s last 5 games, they have been poor in front of goal and defensively; they scored 3 goals and conceded 6, with just 1 clean sheet. Below is a breakdown of their recent goal statistics:
- Goals Scored: 3
- Goals Conceded: 6
- Clean Sheets: 1
Key Trends from South Africa’s Recent Matches
Looking at South Africa’s recent and past games, some interesting trends are clear, and we believe they should be taken seriously when betting on their matches in this World Cup. Below are the trends we found:
- South Africa have failed to win any of their last 5 games.
- The Bafana Bafana have conceded in 4 of their last 5 games.
- Both teams have scored in 3 of their last 5 games.
Korea Republic Recent Form
Brazil has been in top shape in their recent games; they have won just 4 of their last 5 games. Below is a table showcasing their last 5 matches:
Korea Republic’s Last Five Matches
| Date | Match | Result |
| 19/06/2026 | Mexico vs. South Korea | Loss 1-0 |
| 12/06/2026 | South Korea vs. Czech Republic | Won 2-1 |
| 04/06/2026 | South Korea vs. El Salvador | Won 1-0 |
| 31/05/2026 | South Korea vs. Trinidad & Tobago | Won 5-0 |
| 31/03/2026 | Austria vs. South Korea | Loss 1-0 |
Goals Scored and Conceded
Across Korea Republic’s last 5 games, they have been good in both their attack and defense; they have scored 8 goals and conceded 3 goals, with just 2 clean sheets. Below is a breakdown of their recent goal statistics:
- Goals Scored: 8
- Goals Conceded: 3
- Clean Sheets: 2
Key Trends from Korea Republic’s Recent Matches
Going through Korea Republic’s recent games, some interesting trends are clear. We believe they should be taken seriously when betting on their remaining World Cup matches. Below are the trends we found:
- Korea Republic have won 3 of their last 5 games.
- Both teams have scored just once in their last 5 games.
- The team has conceded an impressive 3 goals in their last 5 games.
Team News
Both national teams are expected to start their best players, and below we’ll share what to expect from the lineups.
South Africa Team News
South Africa arrives at this World Cup with a very competitive, world-class squad, and they are expected to give their opponents a tough time.
Injuries
- There are no new injuries reported from South Africa’s football camp.
Suspensions
- Sphephelo Sithole – Red card
- Themba Zwane – Red card
South Africa’s Key Players to Watch
South Africa brought many top domestic and foreign-based players to this World Cup campaign, and some of them are the following:
- Lyle Foster, who plays for Burnley in the Premier League, is expected to be their main midfield player, as he has the experience and flair to control the game.
- Ronwen Williams is a very good goalkeeper who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns and will be very vital in this game.
- Teboho Mokoena is another player for Mamelodi Sundowns who plays in the midfield. He contributes both defensively and offensively and is a dangerous player.
Korea Republic Team News
The Koreans start their World Cup campaign with a healthy squad and have no suspensions.
Injuries
- Neymar is the only significant injury reported from the Koreans’ football camp.
Suspensions
- There are no suspensions reported from the Koreans’ football camp.
Republic of Korea Key Players to Watch
South Korea brought many top players for their World Cup campaign, and some of them are the following:
- Son Heung-min, an experienced forward player and one of the world’s most dangerous attackers, is certainly a player to watch.
- Lee Kang-in, coming with his flair and experience. He is a big-game player and can make game-changing decisions.
- Hwang In-beom possesses insane pressing and chance-creating abilities, which will certainly cause opponents some issues.
Predicted Lineups
Here are the predicted lineups for this South Africa v Korea Republic 2026 World Cup clash.
South Africa’s Predicted XI
Goalkeeper: Williams
Defenders: Mudau, Mbokazi, Okon, Modiba
Midfielders: Adams, Mokoena, Sebelebele, Mofokeng, Appollis
Forwards: Foster
Korea Republic Predicted XI
Goalkeeper: S Kim
Defenders: H Lee, M J Kim, G Lee
Midfielders: M H Kim, Hwang, Paik, Seol
Forwards: K Lee, J Lee, Son
Best Betting Markets for South Africa v Korea Republic
This game presents various betting opportunities, and going by their recent and past results, Topbets presents the following predictions below:
Match Winner Prediction
South Korea is in much better form and looks stronger than South Africa even though both nations desperately need this win. South Africa needs to win too, but they have been poor in their recent outings. With deadly players like Son and Hwang, we expect the Koreans to win this game.
Prediction: Korea Republic to Win
Over/Under Goals
This game looks tight, and even though South Africa has been poor in this World Cup campaign, they have not conceded more than 2 goals in a match. We expect a very tight game, and it should be low-scoring. South Africa is poor in front of goal, so under 3.5 goals is a safe tip.
Prediction: Under 3.5 goals
Both teams to Score
Both teams need to win this game, and that pressure is why we expect both teams to find the net in this game. South Africa has kept just 1 clean sheet in their last 5 games, while the Korea Republic has scored in 3 of their last 5 games. We expect both teams to score in this game.
Prediction: Yes
Anytime Goalscorer
Son is the deadliest threat in Korea’s attack; he scored in their last game, and for the fact that they need to qualify for the next stage of this competition, we expect most attacks to flow to him. Son to score is a good value bet for this game.
Prediction: Ronaldo
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South Africa v Korea Republic Prediction
Still need more predictions for this clash? We’ve got you covered. Below are other prediction tips for this game.
Best Bet
One of our best bets in this game is in the cards market. We expect to play over 2.5 cards in this game. Both sides are expected to defend and attack intensely in this game, and that should lead to flying tackles and tempers flaring.
Prediction: Over 2.5 Cards
Correct Score Prediction
We expect a hard-fought win for South Korea and not many goals in this game. This game should be closely contested, and a maximum of 2 goals should be expected. A 1-0 correct score is suitable for this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Match Analysis and Verdict
As already mentioned, both teams need to win this game, as it is very important to them. There is a chance that South Africa might win this game, but Korea Republic is the favorite for this game. We expect a tense and exciting game.

