South Korea and the Czech Republic will kick off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign when they meet in Guadalajara on Thursday, with crucial points on the line in a Group A that also includes Mexico and South Africa.
The same day co-hosts Canada welcome Bosnia and Herzegovina to BMO Field for a historic encounter. and FIFA also Confirms on thier official x handle the Record of 1,248 Players for Historic World Cup
The South Korea national football team arrive at their 12th World Cup appearance, extending their record as Asia’s most frequent participant. Led by former captain Hong Myung-bo, the Taegeuk Warriors were the only unbeaten side throughout AFC qualifying, winning 11 matches and scoring 40 goals.
South Korea head into the tournament in good form after recent victories over El Salvador and Trinidad & Tobago, with confidence growing ahead of their opening fixture.
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic national football team are making their first World Cup appearance since 2006. The Czechs have built momentum with six consecutive victories and recently defeated Kosovo and Guatemala during their preparations.
Known for their physical presence and strength from set pieces, the Czech side will look to exploit one of their biggest weapons, with half of their qualification goals coming from dead-ball situations.
With only the top two teams guaranteed a place in the knockout rounds, both nations know a positive result could prove decisive in the race for qualification. The clash also marks the first-ever World Cup meeting between the two countries, adding extra intrigue to an important Group A opener.
Team News
Just two goals away from equalling South Korea’s all-time scoring record, held by Cha Bum-kun for the last 40 years, captain Son Heung-min should start up front on Thursday.
The LAFC striker has been directly involved in four of the Taegeuk Warriors’ last 10 World Cup goals and recorded 14 goal involvements in AFC qualifying.
Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Jae-sung and Paris Saint-Germain forward Lee Kang-in are leading the queue to staff Son’s supply line.
Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae will helm a back three, but fellow defender Cho Yu-min has been ruled out after sustaining a foot injury; uncapped Jo Wi-je was called up as the latter’s replacement.
While Son is South Korea’s star man, Patrik Schick has previously scored six goals in seven major tournament appearances for the Czech Republic – the Bayer Leverkusen striker also netted five times in qualifying.
Pavel Sulc will be the Czechs’ key creator, playing just ahead of experienced midfielder Tomas Soucek, who was stripped of the captaincy earlier this year.
Starting in a back three, Ladislav Krejci will therefore skipper the side, with playoff penalty hero Matej Kovar expected to feature between the posts.
Possible Lineups
South Korea possible starting lineup:
Kim Seung-gyu; Lee Gi-hyuk, Kim Min-jae, Lee Han-beom; Seol Young-woo, Hwang In-beom, Paik Seung-ho, Lee Tae-seok; Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Jae-sung; Son Heung-min
Czech Republic possible starting lineup:
Kovar; Chaloupek, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Cerv, Soucek, Jurasek; Provod, Sulc; Schick
How to watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport |
| Live Stream | DSTVStream App |
| Kick-off Time | 3:00am (WAT) |
Match Predictions
Softfootball predicts South Korea 1-1 Czech Republic
Though the Czechs are on a roll, it could be a cagey affair between two very different teams, as avoiding defeat on the opening day will be their priority.
