FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group A
Match: South Korea vs Czechia
Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group A
Date: Friday, June 12, 2026
Kick-Off: 3am
TV/Streaming: RTÉ2 / RTÉ Player / ITV 1 / STV / ITVX
Venue: Estadio Guadalajara (Estadio Akron), Zapopan, Mexico
Capacity: 49,850
South Korea and Czechia meet in the second Group A fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with both sides looking to make an early statement in the race for qualification.
– 2026 FIFA World Cup Preview & Guide: Everything You Need to Know
South Korea Preview
South Korea arrive at the tournament ranked 25th in the FIFA World Rankings and are one of the most experienced nations on the World Cup stage.
The Taegeuk Warriors were the only team to come through AFC qualifying unbeaten and this summer’s tournament will mark their 11th consecutive World Cup appearance. Only Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Spain have enjoyed longer active streaks of qualification.
Their best World Cup performance came in 2002 when they reached the semi-finals as co-hosts. However, that remains the only occasion they have progressed beyond the Round of 16.
Recent form has been encouraging. South Korea have won five of their last seven international matches, although defeats to Ivory Coast (4-0) and Austria (1-0) serve as a reminder that they can struggle against elite opposition.
The victories have been particularly impressive from a defensive perspective, with South Korea keeping clean sheets in all five wins. Their most recent successes came against El Salvador and Trinidad, scoring six goals across those two matches.
Players to Watch
Former Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min remains the headline name in the squad. The captain has scored five goals in his last eight international appearances and continues to be the focal point of South Korea’s attack.
Son is also South Korea’s most-capped player with 143 appearances and has scored 56 international goals. During his decade-long spell with Tottenham between 2015 and 2025, he found the net 127 times in 333 appearances.
The squad is packed with talent from across Europe. Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae provides defensive quality, while Paris Saint-Germain attacker Lee Kang-in and Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan offer creativity and pace in the final third.
Other notable players include Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Seol Young-woo (Red Star Belgrade), Jens Castrop (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham City), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City) and Oh Hyeon-gyu (Beşiktaş).
Czechia Preview
The nation formerly known as the Czech Republic endured a dramatic route to qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Their campaign appeared to be over when they trailed the Republic of Ireland 2-0 in their play-off semi-final. However, Czechia fought back to draw 2-2 before progressing on penalties.
Another penalty shootout was required in the play-off final against Denmark after a second successive 2-2 draw, securing their place in the finals.
Czechia currently sit 41st in the FIFA World Rankings and have generally produced solid results since September 2025.
Across their last ten internationals they have won six matches in normal time and suffered just one defeat, although that loss came in surprising fashion against the Faroe Islands.
Defensively there remain some concerns. Four of their clean sheets during that period came against Croatia, San Marino, Gibraltar and Montenegro, with three of those opponents ranked significantly below World Cup level.
At the other end of the pitch they have shared goals around the squad effectively, with 16 goals scored in their last six internationals by 12 different players.
Players to Watch
West Ham midfielder Tomáš Souček remains one of Czechia’s most influential figures, having scored 17 goals in 90 international appearances.
However, Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick is undoubtedly the danger man. Comfortable operating as either a central striker or second striker, Schick has established himself as one of Europe’s most clinical forwards.
The 30-year-old has scored 80 goals in 149 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen and was a key member of their historic Bundesliga and German Cup double-winning side in 2023-24.
If Czechia are to progress from Group A, Schick’s goals could prove crucial.
Prediction
South Korea look the stronger side on paper and possess significantly greater depth throughout their squad.
While Czechia have shown resilience during qualification, there remain question marks over their defensive solidity against higher-quality opposition.
With Son Heung-min capable of making the difference in tight matches, South Korea are fancied to begin their campaign with three points.
Prediction: South Korea 1-0 Czechia (21/4)
