South Korea vs Czech Republic in World Cup 2026 Opener
Manasi Pathak
South Korea, Asia's most successful World Cup team, faces two-time runners-up Czech Republic in the opening match of Group A at the 2026 World Cup. The game kicks off at 2:00 a.m. Friday (Vietnam time) at Estadio Guadalajara in Mexico. With stars like Son Heung-min, South Korea are favorites, but the Czechs, returning after 20 years, boast dangerous attackers like Patrik Schick.
South Korea and the Czech Republic will kick off their 2026 World Cup campaigns in a Group A match scheduled for 8 p.m. local time Thursday (2 a.m. Friday Vietnam time) at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, Mexico.
South Korea, Asia's most successful World Cup team, begin their 2026 campaign against the Czech Republic, a side returning to the global football showpiece after a 20-year absence.
With a quality squad featuring stars such as Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Kim Min-jae, the 2002 semi-finalists — currently ranked 25th in the world — are rated higher than their opponents and are eager to secure their first victory in a tough group that also includes co-hosts Mexico and South Africa.
However, the Czech Republic (ranked 40th) are no pushovers. With players like Adam Hlozek, Patrik Schick, and Pavel Sulc, they are fully capable of springing a surprise.
Son Heung-min Leads South Korea's Attack
As always, all eyes are on South Korea's star Son Heung-min, who now plays for LAFC. This is the 33-year-old former Tottenham forward's fourth World Cup finals appearance, and potentially his last, though this is unconfirmed. Fans hope the captain will score after he netted a brace in a recent friendly.
South Korea reached the round of 16 in 2022, thanks to Hwang Hee-chan's stoppage-time winner against Portugal that secured a knockout spot. The Wolverhampton Wanderers forward is now eager to repeat that feat.
“If I can have a moment like that again, it would be fantastic for me and the whole team,” said Hwang, who will be playing in his third World Cup. “Every game matters, but the first one is even more special.”
Czech Republic: Two-Time Runners-Up
As Czechoslovakia, the Czech side finished runners-up in 1934 and 1962. But since then, their record has been poor, with just four appearances and only one group-stage exit — reaching the quarter-finals in 1990.
The Czech Republic now return to the World Cup after a 20-year-long absence, qualifying through UEFA qualifying after dramatic penalty shootout wins. The appointment of coach Miroslav Koubek in December 2025 turned their fortunes around, lifting them from a crisis campaign to finish the job in style.
Now, after two decades, back on football's biggest stage, the Czechs hope to reach the knockout rounds. With 2-meter-tall striker Tomas Chory (Slavia Prague) in their ranks, Koubek's side will look to impose their physical presence on South Korea. They also have added attacking firepower from Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen), co-top scorer at Euro 2020, while forward Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim) is another experienced option up front. Koubek will also rely on midfielders Tomas Soucek (West Ham) and Vladimir Darida (35) for experience and stability.
World Cup Group Stage Format
Group A features South Korea, Czech Republic, Mexico, and South Africa. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the round of 32 — a format adopted for the first time at the World Cup.
Head-to-Head Record
South Korea and the Czech Republic have met three times, with each side winning once and one match ending in a draw. Their most recent encounter was in June 2016, exactly a decade ago, when South Korea won 2-1 in a friendly in Prague.
Recent Form
(Last five matches, most recent first)
South Korea: Win - Win - Loss - Loss - Win
Czech Republic: Win - Win - Win - Win - Win
The Czech Republic are in excellent form entering the opener, with wins over Kosovo and Guatemala in pre-World Cup friendlies. Earlier, they defeated Denmark and Ireland on penalties in UEFA qualifying play-offs, and also crushed Gibraltar. Meanwhile, South Korea's form has been uneven. They beat El Salvador and thrashed Trinidad and Tobago in friendlies but lost to Austria and Ivory Coast.
Team News
Coach Koubek faces a selection headache. With Hlozek just recovered from injury, and Sulc and Lukas Provod also vying for places, Koubek must make tough decisions on which two forwards to support Schick. Meanwhile, South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo also has concerns. Winger Bae Jun-ho — one of the youngest players in the squad — is likely to miss out with an ankle injury, but left-back Lee Tae-seok has returned to training with the team after a calf injury.
Predicted Lineups
South Korea: Kim Seung-gyu (GK); Kim Min-jae, Lee Han-beom, Lee Gi-hyuk; Seol Young-woo, Lee Tae-seok, Hwang In-beom, Paik Seung-ho; Lee Kang-in, Lee Jae-sung; Son Heung-min.
Czech Republic: Matej Kovar (GK); Vladimir Coufal, David Doudera, Tomas Holes, Ladislav Krejci, Jaroslav Zeleny; Tomas Soucek, Michal Sadilek; Adam Hlozek, Pavel Sulc, Patrik Schick.
