Sekhukhune United coach Cedric Kaze has revealed why Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash between Bafana Bafana and Canada will be an emotional occasion for him.
The two nations will battle for a place in the last 16 at SoFi Stadium on Sunday night [9pm South African time].
Both sides have reached the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup for the first time. Bafana staged a remarkable turnaround under Hugo Broos after opening their campaign with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Mexico. They responded impressively by holding the Czech Republic to a draw and narrowly beating South Korea to secure second place in Group A. Canada is also making history in the expanded 48-team tournament.
However, a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in their final Group B match denied them top spot and ended a 10-match unbeaten run that had stretched back to October 2025. The result also means Canada becomes the first FIFA World Cup host nation to play a knockout match outside their own borders.
South Africa won the only previous meeting between the two nations, claiming a 2-0 victory in an international friendly in 2007. Canada, meanwhile, has lost both of their previous competitive matches against African opposition, including a defeat to Morocco at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Having lived in Canada for over a decade and worked in South African football for the past two years, Kaze admits his heart will be divided when the two countries face off on Sunday.
WHY CEDRIC KAZE’S HEART IS SPLIT
The Burundi-born mentor has been impressed by Bafana’s response after the Mexico result, believing Broos’ side has grown in confidence with every match. “It’s a game I’m counting the hours to watch. My heart is split between the two countries because my family and I have been living here in Canada for the last 10 years. I work in South Africa and know most of those players and the technical team members… It’s a pretty special game for me,” Kaze told FARPost.
The former Kaizer Chiefs coach believes South Africa’s midfield will be crucial if Broos’ side are to reach the last 16.
“With players like Teboho Mokoena, Thalente Mbatha, Relebohile Mofokeng and Sphephelo Sithole, they have midfielders capable of controlling possession. They need to wait for the right moment to play through Canada’s defensive line.”
Kaze also believes Bafana can expose Canada in wide areas. “They should use players like Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis in individual duels. Those one-on-one situations could create the opportunities needed to win the game.”
KAZE ON WITNESSING CANADA’S RISE FIRSTHAND
Kaze has witnessed Canada’s football transformation firsthand. He watched many of the current internationals, including Villareal winger Tajon Buchanan, Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David of Juventus, progress through the youth ranks before establishing themselves on the world stage. He credits head coach Jesse Marsch with adding an aggressive, high-intensity approach that has made Canada one of CONCACAF’s most difficult teams to face.
“They play forward, press aggressively, run relentlessly and constantly put opponents under pressure. Defensively, they’re very compact and move together as a unit.” Even so, Kaze believes Canada has one area that Bafana can exploit.
“Perhaps the only area where they fall slightly short is technical finesse in the final third. Sometimes they lack that final touch or decisive pass. They compensate by attacking wide areas, delivering crosses and playing with two strikers, Jonathan David and Cyle Larin.”
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