World Cup scores, results: South Africa caps off Matchday 3 with stunner, setting up knockout-round game with Canada

We're in crunch time as the 2026 World Cup has reached Matchday 3 in the group stage. Groups A, B and C were in action on Wednesday as teams fought for spots in the knockout round.

Group B started the day as Bosnia and Herzegovina handled Qatar to essentially lock up a spot in the Round of 32 while Switzerland held off Canada to finish at the top of the group. Bosnia and Herzegovina will likely play the U.S. in the knockout round.

In Group C, Brazil finished ahead of Morocco on goal differential after both teams won going away in their finales. Scotland, meanwhile, will have to sweat out its knockout-round fate for a few days after a 3-0 loss to Seleção.

World Cup schedule | Group schedule, results | Standings

In the nightcap, Mexico remained undefeated with a 3-0 win over Czechia while South Africa pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament with a 1-0 win over South Korea. The latter result has the South Africans in the knockout round and playing Canada on Sunday. South Korea will have to wait to see if it makes the cut as a third-place team.

Wednesday's World Cup schedule

Group A

• Final: Mexico 3, Czechia 0

• Final: South Africa 1, South Korea 0

Group B

• Final: Switzerland 2, Canada 1

• Final: Bosnia and Herzegovina 3, Qatar 1

Group C

• Final: Brazil 3, Scotland 0

• Final: Morocco 4, Haiti 2

Follow all of Wednesday's action including live updates, highlights, results and analysis below.

• Thu, June 25, 2026 at 7:15 AM PDTSean Leahy

  A look at the third-place standings

  The top eight third place teams will advance to the round of 32.

• Thu, June 25, 2026 at 6:30 AM PDTSteven Goff

  What to expect as USMNT faces Türkiye with nothing at stake in final group stage match

  With nothing at stake in the final Group D match Thursday against Türkiye, U.S coach Mauricio Pochettino plans to sit the four starters who are in jeopardy of suspension for the start of the World Cup knockout stage.

  He will make careful decisions about star forward Christian Pulisic, who is returning from a calf injury, and potential starter Cristian Roldan, who is nursing a quadriceps ailment.

  He'll gauge the fitness levels of players who have logged major minutes through the first two matches or are feeling the physical effects after a long club season in Europe and a month with the national team.

  First and foremost, Pochettino wants his team in prime condition for the Round of 32 game on Wednesday in Santa Clara, California.

  Read more here.

  

• Thu, June 25, 2026 at 6:15 AM PDTJay Busbee

  For Haiti, a loss on the pitch, a win for a hurting nation

  Haiti fell to Morocco 4-2 on Wednesday night in Atlanta, eliminated in the group stage. But that's not the real story for Les Grenadiers, who exit the World Cup with a record of zero wins, zero draws and three losses. The real story is the miracle that Haiti — at No. 87, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament — even reached this World Cup at all, and still closed off its run with 45 of the finest minutes of soccer in the nation's history.

  It's been a long, winding half-century-plus since Haiti last reached the World Cup. From natural disasters to rampant crime, political strife all the way down to a banned uniform three weeks ago, Haiti's players and fans have had to endure more than virtually any nation on earth. So it's understandable why the masses in blue and red gathered in the Atlanta Stadium stands were celebrating long before kickoff, dancing to familiar tunes like "Toup Pou Yo," by Haiti's own Barikad Crew … and why a goal just minutes into the game sent them into ecstasy.

  Read more here.

  

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• Thu, June 25, 2026 at 6:02 AM PDTSean Leahy

  Thursday's World Cup schedule

  Here’s today’s What to Watch as the USMNT, Germany and Netherlands are among the teams in action.

• Final: South Africa 1, South Korea 0

  Bafana Bafana is moving on to the knockout round for the first time in World Cup history. What a wild way to kick off Matchday 3.

  The South Koreans controlled possession but South Africa was more aggressive in attacking positions.

  With the result, Canada will play South Africa on Sunday in the knockout-round opener.

• Final: Czechia 0, Mexico 3

  Mexico closed out the group stage in style with a convincing 3-0 win over Czechia.

  After a quiet first half, El Tri broke the match open with second-half goals from Mateo Chávez, Julián Quiñones and Álvaro Fidalgo, who capped the scoring with a stoppage-time rocket into the top corner.

  Mexico finished with five shots on target and made the most of its chances, while Czechia managed just one shot on target despite attempting 13 overall. As things stand, Czechia’s World Cup campaign is over, while Mexico heads into the knockout stage full of confidence.

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• 90+4' - GOAL

  After another dangerous attack kept the ball alive in the box, Álvaro Fidalgo pounced and blasted a shot into the net to make it 3-0. It’s a dominant finish for El Tri, while Czechia’s World Cup campaign appears to be coming to an end.

• 88' - Substitutions

  Czechia have been forced into a change after Tomáš Souček suffered what appeared to be a leg injury while trying to block a goal kick. The West Ham man had to be stretchered off and was replaced by Alexander Sojka.

  Czechia also made a second substitution, with Lukáš Červ making way for Tomáš Chorý.

• Memo gets his moment at Azteca

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• 78' - El Tri legend Memo Ochoa enters the match, replacing Rangel

  Also subbing in is Gallardo for Chaves.

• Hydration break time

  We are 20 minutes (plus stoppage time) away from a wrap here in Group A and South Africa's goal has put a bit of urgency into the proceedings.

  Group A live table

  		W	D	L	GD	Pts.
  1	Mexico	3	0	0	5	9
  2	South Africa	1	1	1	-1	4
  3	South Korea	1	0	2	-1	3
  4	Czechia	0	1	2	-3	1

• 72' - Substitutions

  Shortly after Czechia replaced Hlozek and Holes with Soucek and Schick, Mexico replaces Gilberto Mora to a standing ovation as Alvaro Fidalgo enters the match.

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• Watch South Africa's Maseko deliver a strike in the box

• Watch Quiñones pounce on the deflection for the easy score

• 63' — Goal for South Africa!

  Thapelo Maseko drills a shot into the bottom right corner of the net with a good effort and South Africa is still alive in this tournament!

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• 61' - GOAL

  Mexico has taken control.

  A dangerous attack down the right led to a scramble in front of goal after the goalkeeper stopped Jorge Sánchez’s initial effort. The rebound fell straight to Julián Quiñones, who made no mistake from close range to double Mexico’s lead

• How about this celebration as Mexico takes the 1-0 lead

• Watch Mateo Chavez score in his World Cup debut

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• 55' - GOAL

  Mexico finally has the breakthrough.

  After Czechia gave the ball away in midfield, Mateo Chávez took off on a long solo run, dribbled into the penalty area and calmly slotted his shot past the goalkeeper to give El Tri a 1-0 lead.

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• 46' - A series of subs for South Korea coming out of the break

  South Korea has made three changes at halftime as it looks to find a breakthrough.

  Son Heung-min replaces Hwang Hee-chan, Kim Jin-gyu comes on for Paik Seung-ho, and Castrop enters in place of Lee Kang-in as South Korea try to spark the attack in the second half.