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The group stage has concluded, setting the stage for the knockout rounds to begin.

The World Cup round of 32 gets underway with just one fixture on Sunday, as co-hosts and Group B runners-up Canada play on neutral ground for the first time this tournament.

The North American side will face another second-placed team, Group A runners-up South Africa, who advanced to this stage after securing a crucial victory over South Korea in their last group match.

No other fixtures are scheduled for Sunday, ensuring this encounter takes the spotlight.

The match will take place at SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles area, with kick-off slated for noon local time (8 pm UK time).

In charge of proceedings will be Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro.

This marks the 38-year-old’s second assignment of the tournament and his first appearance in a major international competition.

Pinheiro’s previous World Cup match was Switzerland’s unusual 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the Swiss team netted all four goals after the 74th minute.

That dramatic finish followed a straight red card shown by Pinheiro to Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic for a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity offence with ten minutes remaining.

His compatriots Bruno Jesus and Luciano Maia will serve as assistant referees for the match.

UAE official Omar Al Ali has been appointed as the fourth official, while Mohamed Al-Hammadi will act as the reserve referee.

At the time of publication, details regarding the VAR officials have not yet been confirmed.