World Cup 2026 round-up: Switzerland beat Canada, South Africa reach knockouts for first time

A full slate of FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage fixtures on Wednesday, June 24, reshaped several pools and set up a wide race among third-place teams, according to analysis on CVM’s Fan Central Extra Time programme.

Switzerland defeated Canada to finish as Group B leaders, while Canada still secured second place and a Round of 32 meeting with South Africa on Sunday. Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Qatar 3-1 to strengthen their bid among the best third-place finishers. In Group C, Morocco came from behind to beat Haiti 4-2 and advance alongside Brazil, who topped the group after beating Scotland. Mexico and South Africa progressed from Group A, while the Czech Republic were eliminated and South Korea must wait on other results.

South Africa’s qualification marked the first time the nation has reached the World Cup knockout rounds. Former Reggae Boy Tyrone Marshall said many had written them off after their opening match, but their result against Korea Republic changed the picture. Host nation Canada also made history by advancing despite the loss to Switzerland.

Tactical breakdowns highlighted Switzerland’s compact midfield, with five players across the centre denying Canada space. Coach Jeremy Thomas said Brazil under Carlo Ancelotti look more structured defensively, with Vinícius Júnior operating in more central roles and quicker transitions replacing long passing sequences. Tyrone Marshall noted fluid movement among Brazil’s front line, while Thomas rated Morocco among the tournament’s most organised sides.

In the fan segment, Rashida Murphy named Wilson Isidor of Haiti as her top performer after a strong showing in defeat, with Vinícius Júnior second and Morocco’s Ismail Sabiri third. Scotland defender McKenna was her shame pick after errors that contributed to Brazil’s goals.

Former FIFA referee Victor Stewart joined the panel to discuss a missed penalty in Ghana’s match against England, arguing VAR should have intervened as it did in an earlier Argentina fixture. A caller correctly named Turkey and Panama as the only teams yet to score at the tournament.

Thursday’s fixtures include Curaçao against Ivory Coast, Ecuador versus Germany, Japan against Sweden, Tunisia against the Netherlands, Paraguay against Australia, and Turkey against the United States.