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World Cup 2026 Group A guide - fixtures, schedule, standings and odds for Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and Czech Republic

World Cup Group A includes co-hosts Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and Czech Republic; matches will take place in Mexico and USA; Mexico open tournament vs South Africa on Thursday June 11 at 8pm

Tuesday 2 June 2026 13:19, UK

World Cup Group A

Group A sees co-hosts Mexico open the World Cup against South Africa in a repeat of the first game of the 2010 tournament, followed by matches against South Korea and Czech Republic.

World Cup Group A fixtures

All kick-off times are BST

World Cup Group A table

Who qualifies for the next round?

  • The top two sides in each group progress to the round of 32
  • The eight-best third-placed sides across the 12 groups also qualify for the last 32
  • If teams are level on points, the side with the most points obtained in matches between those sides finishes highest
  • If teams are still tied, goal difference from the matches between those sides, and then goals scored in those matches, are used as tie-breakers

World Cup Group A supercomputer prediction

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Mexico guide

Mexico's midfielder #23 Jesus Gallardo celebrates scoring his team's third goal next to teammate midfielder #06 Erik Lira

Mexico facts:

  • Manager: Javier Aguirre
  • Route to World Cup: Co-hosts
  • Last time qualified: 2022
  • Best World Cup result: Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)
  • FIFA world ranking: 15

Mexico fixtures

All kick-off times are BST

Thursday June 11: Mexico vs South Africa, kick-off 8pm - Mexico City Stadium, Mexico

Friday June 19: Mexico vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Estadio Chivas, Mexico

Thursday June 25: Czech Republic vs Mexico, kick-off 2am - Mexico City Stadium, Mexico

Mexico squad

Goalkeepers: Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna), Guillermo Ochoa (AEL Limassol), Raul Rangel (Chivas).

Also See:

Defenders: Edson Alvarez (Fenerbahce), Israel Reyes (America), Jesus Gallardo (Toluca), Johan Vasquez (Genoa), Jorge Sanchez (PAOK), Mateo Chavez (AZ Alkmaar).

Midfielders: Alvaro Fidalgo (Real Betis), Brian Gutierrez (Chivas), Erik Lira (Cruz Azul), Gilberto Mora (Tijuana), Luis Romo (Chivas), Obed Vargas (Atletico Madrid), Orbelin Pineda (AEK).

Forwards: Alexis Vega (Toluca), Armando Gonzalez (Chivas), César Huerta (Anderlecht), Guillermo Martinez (Pumas), Julian Quinones (Al Qadisiyah), Raul Jimenez (Fulham), Santiago Gimenez (AC Milan).

Manager: Javier Aguirre

Mexico kits

Mexico
Mexico

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South Africa guide

South Africa's midfielder #23 Mohau Nkota (L) celebrates after kicking a ball that lead to Nigeria's own goal during the FIFA World

South Africa facts:

  • Manager: Hugo Broos
  • Route to World Cup: CAF Group C winners
  • Last time qualified: 2010
  • Best World Cup result: Group stage (1998, 2002, 2010)
  • FIFA world ranking: 60

South Africa fixtures

All kick-off times are BST

Thursday June 11: Mexico vs South Africa, kick-off 8pm - Mexico City Stadium, Mexico

Thursday June 18: Czech Republic vs South Africa, kick-off 5pm - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, USA

Thursday June 25: South Africa vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Estadio Chivas, Mexico

South Africa squad

Goalkeepers: Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates), Ricardo Goss (Siwele), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns).

Defenders: Aubrey Modiba (Mamelodi Sundowns), Khuliso Mudau (Mamelodi Sundowns), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire), Ime Okon (Hannover), Samukele Kabini (Molde), Khulumani Ndamane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City), Kamogelo Sebelebele (Orlando Pirates), Bradley Cross (Kaizer Chiefs), Olwethy Makhanya (Philadelphia Union).

Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela), Thalente Mbatha (Orlando Pirates), Jayden Adams (Mamelodi Sundowns).

Forwards: Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Lyle Foster (Burnley), Evidence Makgopa (Orlando Pirates), Oswin Appollis (Orlando Pirates), Iqraam Rayners (Mamelodi Sundowns), Relebohile Mofokeng (Orlando Pirates), Thapelo Maseko (AEL Limassol), Tshepang Moremi (Orlando Pirates).

Manager: Hugo Broos

South Africa kits

south africa
south africa

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South Korea guide

South Korea talisman Heung-Min Son

South Korea facts:

  • Manager: Myung-Bo Hong
  • Route to World Cup: AFC Group B winners
  • Last time qualified: 2022
  • Best World Cup result: Fourth place (2002)
  • FIFA world ranking: 25

South Korea fixtures

All kick-off times are BST

Friday June 12: South Korea vs Czech Republic, kick-off 3am - Estadio Chivas, Mexico

Friday June 19: Mexico vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Estadio Chivas, Mexico

Thursday June 25: South Africa vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Estadio BBVA, Mexico

South Korea squad

Goalkeepers: Hyeon-Woo Jo (Ulsan), Seung-Gyu Kim (FC Tokyo), Bum-Keun Song (Jeonbuk).

Defenders: Moon-Hwan Kim (Daejeon), Min-Jae Kim (Bayern Munich), Tae-Hyon Kim (Kashima Antlers), Jin-Seob Park (Zhejiang), Young-Woo Seol (Red Star Belgrade), Jens Castrop (Borussia Monchengladbach), Ki-Hyuk Lee (Gangwon), Tae-Seok Lee (Austria Wien), Han-Beom Lee (Midtjylland), Yu-Min Cho (Sharjah).

Midfielders: Jin-Gyu Kim (Jeonbuk), Jun-Ho Bae (Stoke), Seung-Ho Paik (Birmingham), Hyun-Jun Yang (Celtic), Ji-Sung Eom (Swansea), Kang-In Lee (Paris Saint-Germain), Dong-Gyeong Lee (Ulsan), Jae-Sung Lee (Mainz), In-Beom Hwang (Feyenoord), Hee-Chan Hwang (Wolves).

Forwards: Heung-Min Son (LAFC), Hyeon-Gyu Oh (Besiktas), Gue-Sung Cho (Midtjylland).

Manager: Myung-Bo Hong

South Korea kits

south korea
south korea

VOTE! How far will South Korea go at the World Cup?

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Czech Republic guide

Ladislav Krejci celebrates scoring Czech Republic's second goal

Czech Republic facts:

  • Manager: Miroslav Koubek
  • Route to World Cup: UEFA play-offs winners
  • Last time qualified: 2006
  • Best World Cup result: Runners-up (1934, 1962)
  • FIFA world ranking: 41

Czech Republic fixtures

All kick-off times are BST

Friday June 12: South Korea vs Czech Republic, kick-off 3am - Estadio Chivas, Mexico

Thursday June 18: Czech Republic vs South Africa, kick-off 5pm - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, USA

Thursday June 25: Czech Republic vs Mexico, kick-off 2am - Mexico City Stadium, Mexico

Czech Republic squad

Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Braga), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague).

Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), David Doudera (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Hoffenheim), Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague).

Midfielders: Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochurek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Olympique Lyonnais), Denis Visinsky (Viktoria Plzen).

Forwards: Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim), Tomas Chory (Slavia Prague), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).

Manager: Miroslav Koubek

Czech Republic kits

czech republic
czech republic

VOTE! How far will Czech Republic go at the World Cup?

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