South Africa vs South Korea – Predictions and Odds – 2026 World Cup (25/06/2026)

The football World Cup enters the third matchday of the group stage, which will finalise the places for the round of 32. In Group A, first place has already been decided and will go to Mexico, but second and third positions are still to be resolved. It is worth remembering that the eight best third-placed teams will also advance to the next round.

South Africa and Korea will face each other at the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey, with both teams’ futures in the tournament still hanging in the balance.

South Africa can still finish second in the group

The South African national team has seemed to me to be one of the weakest in the tournament, but the reality is that they head into this final matchday with their destiny in their own hands. If they win, they will be in the next stage. Of course, they have nothing to lose.

Defensively, they have shown themselves to be a very vulnerable team, both individually and collectively. They lost 2-0 to Mexico in the opening match, although it is true that they ended up playing with nine men that day. On matchday two, they drew 1-1 against Czechia, but the feeling left behind was that the Europeans failed to kill off the game when they had everything in their favour to do so.

In attack, they have shown slightly more capability than in defence, though they remain far from the level required to compete reliably in a World Cup.

The maths is simple: a victory would give them passage to the next round, either as runners-up or as one of the best third-placed teams. Any other result would mean elimination.

South Korea need to pick up points

The Koreans, after beating the Czech Republic on matchday one, lost 1-0 to the hosts, conceding a goal due to a glaring mistake by their goalkeeper.

This defeat leaves them with three points and a goal difference of zero. Another defeat would severely complicate their options of advancing as one of the best third-placed teams. They could even finish fourth if the Czechs beat Mexico, who have nothing left to play for.

Therefore, Korea need to pick up points to avoid relying on other results. A draw would guarantee them second place, but they do not look like a team set up to play for a draw for 90 minutes, so I believe they will go for the win from the very start against such weak opponents.

South Africa vs South Korea Prediction

The match is shaping up to be a true final for both national teams. South Africa absolutely must win, and Korea should not gamble on a draw to avoid a late scare. It seems clear that the Africans will be forced to take risks from the outset, as given the level they have shown, it seems unlikely they can win the match through control and discipline. Their chances lie in turning the game into an end-to-end exchange where they manage to come out on top, if luck is on their side.

The bookmakers list Korea as clear favourites, which is entirely logical given the performance of both teams so far. An Asian victory does not seem like a bad option, but personally, I see more value in the goals market.

South Africa’s desperation could turn the match into an end-to-end affair very early on, even more so if the score remains tight in the second half. Even if the Africans manage to take the lead, I lack the confidence in them to hold onto that advantage for long.

For their part, Korea have enough quality to exploit the spaces they should find against a team forced to take risks.

Because of all this, I expect a more open game than the current odds reflect. My favourite bet is over 2.5 goals at odds of 2.10, although for those who prefer a slightly more conservative option, over 2.25 goals at odds of 1.85 also seems very interesting. In the latter case, if exactly two goals are scored, we would only lose half the stake.