Uruguay and Mexico, who top the group with four points each, will both qualify if they draw next week, eliminating France and South Africa in the process.
France face an embarrassing early World Cup exit after a surprise 2-0 defeat to Mexico in their second Group A game on Thursday.
Substitute forward Javier Hernandez beat the French offside trap, raced into the box unchallenged, and twisted his way past 'keeper Hugo Lloris to put Mexico ahead in the 64th minute.
Veteran forward Cuauhtemoc Blanco then doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 79th minute after Pablo Barrera was brought down by Eric Abidal.
The 1998 champions have just one point from two games before facing hosts South Africa in their final pool game next week.
Even a win in that match might not be enough for them to qualify and escape another disaster after their Euro 2008 flop.
Uruguay and Mexico, who top the group with four points each, will both qualify if they draw next week, eliminating in the process France and South Africa, both on one point.
"I'm lost for words. It's a real disappointment for those who believed in us. We did try, but there was always something that didn't work," France's coach Raymond Domenech told French television channel TF1.
"There is one match left. We'll play for pride and hope for a miracle. We needed a draw to keep our fate in our hands and couldn't get it."
France winger Florent Malouda said the team had the last game to "save our pride".
"It's shameful to lose like that," Malouda told TF1. "We can't leave a tournament without winning a match."
If they do leave South Africa without winning a match, it will not be the first time France have suffered the ignominy. They similarly left South Korea eight years ago when, despite being defending champions, they were eliminated after the group stage without scoring a single goal.
Here, France were outplayed for the first 45 minutes during which they did not create a single chance. Mexico, by contrast, came close to scoring on several occasions, first when forward Carlos Vela raced into the box unchallenged early on but missed the target.
French fans shivered again on 19 minutes when fullback Carlos Salcido fired just wide from the edge of the box. The same player threatened again eighth minutes later, shooting straight at Lloris from close range.
France were hardly better in the second half, though they did have a chance on 54 minutes when a shot from just outside the area by Malouda flew narrowly over the bar.
That was far from enough, however, and coach Domenech's men, who have frustrated fans with uninspiring performances for years, can expect another stiff challenge against South Africa next Tuesday in Bloemfontein.
With their fate out of their hands, they will have to face that match without holding midfielder Jeremy Toulalan, who will be suspended after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament.
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