2026 FIFA World Cup Group A
FIFA World Cup group
Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is taking place from June 11 to 24, 2026. The group consists of Mexico (co-host), South Africa, South Korea, and the Czech Republic. The top two teams, and possibly the third-placed team, will advance to the round of 32.
Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is taking place from June 11 to 24, 2026.[1] The group consists of Mexico (co-host), South Africa, South Korea, and the Czech Republic. The top two teams, and possibly the third-placed team, will advance to the round of 32.[2]
Teams
| Draw position | Team | Pot | Confederation | Method of qualification |
Date of qualification |
Finals appearance |
Last appearance |
Previous best performance |
FIFA Rankings[3][4] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2025[nb 1] | June 2026 | |||||||||
| A1 |  Mexico | 1 | CONCACAF | Co-host | February 14, 2023[nb 2] | 18th | 2022 | Quarter-finals (1970, 1986) | 15 | 14 |
| A2 |  South Africa | 3 | CAF | CAF Group C winner | October 14, 2025 | 4th | 2010 | Group stage (1998, 2002, 2010) | 61 | 60 |
| A3 |  South Korea | 2 | AFC | AFC third round Group B winner | June 5, 2025 | 12th | 2022 | Fourth place (2002) | 22 | 25 |
| A4 |  Czech Republic | 4[nb 3] | UEFA | UEFA second round Path D winner | March 31, 2026 | 10th | 2006 | Runner-up[nb 4] (1934, 1962) | 44[nb 3] | 40 |
Notes
- ↑ The rankings of November 2025 were used for seeding for the final draw.[5]
- ↑ Although the United bid was selected on June 13, 2018, the automatic berths allocated to the hosts were not confirmed until a decision by the FIFA Council on February 14, 2023.[6]
- 1 2 As the identity of the UEFA second round Path D winner was not known at the time of the final draw, positions in the FIFA Rankings were not taken into account, and the placeholder in the draw was automatically seeded into pot 4.[5]
- ↑ The Czech Republic competed between 1919 and 1992 as Czechoslovakia. Statistically, FIFA considers the Czech Republic to be the sole successor to the record of Czechoslovakia.[7]
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Position will qualify for: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico (H) |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 | Knockout stage |
| 2 | South Korea |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 | |
| 3 | Czech Republic |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 | South Africa |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 |
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
In the round of 32:[2]
- The winner of Group A will advance to play the third-placed team of Group C, Group E, Group F, Group H, or Group I.
- The runner-up of Group A will advance to play the runner-up of Group B.
- The third-placed team of Group A might advance to play the winner of Group E or Group G (if one of the eight best third-placed teams from the group stage).
Matches
All times listed are local.[1]
Mexico vs South Africa
The two teams had faced each other four times, most recently in a 1–1 draw in the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening match, with South Africa as the host nation.[8][9] This match coincidentally took place exactly 16 years after. Additionally, South Africa manager Hugo Broos and Mexico’s Javier Aguirre encountered each other on the same pitch during the 1986 World Cup as players for Belgium and Mexico, respectively.
Mexico went in front in the 9th minute when Julián Quiñones scored with a low right footed finish through the legs of South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams from just inside the penalty area after Sphephelo Sithole was caught in possession on the edge of the penalty area by Erik Lira. Four minutes into the second half, South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole was sent-off after fouling Mexico's Brian Gutiérrez when he was going through on goal.[10] It was 2–0 in the 67th minute when Raúl Jiménez scored his first goal at a World Cup finals, a header at the back post to the left of the net after a cross from the right by Roberto Alvarado.
In the 73rd minute, South African substitute Themba Zwane was sent off for a slap in the face of Mexican forward Roberto Alvarado. In the 92nd minute there was a third red card in the game with Mexican captain César Montes sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity by fouling Khuliso Mudau with Mexico going on to win the game 2–0. [11]
          Mexico[12]
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    South Africa[12]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[12]
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South Korea vs Czech Republic
The teams had played each other three times, most recently in a 2016 friendly, a 2–1 victory for the South Koreans.[14]
The Czech Republic went in front in the 59th minute with a header from captain Ladislav Krejčí to the right of the net from six yards out after a long throw-in from Vladimir Coufal from the right. It was 1–1 in the 67th minute when Hwang In-beom received the ball from Lee Kang-in before turning back onto his right foot before scooping the ball over the advancing Czech goalkeeper Matěj Kovář and into the right of the net.[15]
In the 78th minute Tomas Soucek headed into the net for the Czech Republic after a free-kick from the left, but the goal was ruled out for offside. In the 80th minute, Hwang In-beom crossed low from the right and Oh Hyeon-gyu finished from six yards out to the left of the net to put South Korea 2–1 in front. In the 82nd minute, South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu saved down low to his right to stop Adam Hlozek's close-range effort with South Korea going on to win 2–1.[16]
| South Korea | 2–1 | Czech Republic |
|---|---|---|
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[Report 2] | Krejčí  59' |
     South Korea[17]
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     Czech Republic[17]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[17]
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Czech Republic vs South Africa
The teams have only played each other in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, where the teams drew 2–2.[18] This will be the only match in Group A outside of Mexico.
| Czech Republic | Match 25 | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 3] |
     Czech Republic
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 South Africa
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Mexico vs South Korea
The sides have previously met 15 times including twice in the World Cup, with Mexico winning both matches: 3–1 in the 1998 tournament in France, and 2–1 in the 2018 edition in Russia. Their most recent meeting was a 2–2 draw in 2025.[19][20]
| Mexico | Match 28 | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 4] |
     Mexico
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     South Korea
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Assistant referees:[17]
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Czech Republic vs Mexico
The teams only played each other once in 2000, a 2–1 win for the Czechs.[21] Czech Republic predecessor country Czechoslovakia played Mexico at the 1962 World Cup in a game in which Czechoslovakia scored after just 15 seconds, the second fastest goal in World Cup history, however Mexico came back to win 3–1.[22]
| Czech Republic | Match 53 | Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 5] |
Czech Republic
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     Mexico
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South Africa vs South Korea
The two teams have never met before.
| South Africa | Match 54 | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 6] |
South Africa
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South Korea
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Discipline
The team conduct ("fair play") score will be used as a tiebreaker if the head-to-head and overall records of teams are tied. It will also be used as a tiebreaker for the third-place ranking between groups if the overall records of teams are tied. The score will be calculated based on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all group matches as follows:[2]
- yellow card: −1 point;
- indirect red card (second yellow card): −3 points;
- direct red card: −4 points;
- yellow card and direct red card: −5 points;
Only one of the above deductions can be applied to a player or team official in a single match.
| Team | Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3 | Score | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Czech Republic |
0 | ||||||||||||
| South Korea |
1 | −1 | |||||||||||
| Mexico |
1 | 1 | −5 | ||||||||||
| South Africa |
2 | 2 | −10 | ||||||||||
References
- 1 2 "FIFA World Cup 26 – Match Schedule" (PDF). FIFA. February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- 1 2 3 "FIFA World Cup 2026 Regulations" (PDF). FIFA. May 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 23, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
- ↑ "FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking (19 November 2025)". FIFA. November 19, 2025. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
- ↑ "FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking (11 June 2026)". FIFA. June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- 1 2 "Draw Procedures for the FIFA World Cup 2026" (PDF). FIFA. November 25, 2025. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ↑ "FIFA Council highlights record breaking revenue in football". FIFA. February 14, 2023. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- ↑ "Statistical Kit for the Preliminary Draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia (All-time overview of teams in the preliminary competitions)" (PDF). FIFA. June 29, 2015. pp. 40, 43. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Mexico national football team: record v South Africa". 11v11.com. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
- ↑ "Mexico vs. South Africa Head-to-Head in the World Cups". thesoccerworldcups.com. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
- ↑ "Mexico 2 South Africa 0". BBC Sport. June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Raúl Jiménez seals Mexico's win against nine-man South Africa in World Cup opener". Guardian. June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Tactical Line-up – Group A – Mexico v. South Africa" (PDF). FIFA. June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- 1 2 "Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match – every winner". FIFA. June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Czech Republic national football team: record v Korea Republic". www.11v11.com.
- ↑ "South Korea get off to winning start after rallying from goal down to beat Czechia". Guardian. June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ "South Korea 2 Czech Republic 1". BBC Sport. June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Tactical Line-up – Group A – Korea Republic v. Czechia" (PDF). FIFA. June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Czech Republic national football team: record v South Africa". www.11v11.com.
- ↑ "Mexico national football team: record v South Korea". 11v11.com. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
- ↑ "Mexico vs. South Korea Head-to-Head in the World Cups". thesoccerworldcups.com. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
- ↑ "Czech Republic national football team: record v Mexico". www.11v11.com.
- ↑ "Mexico national football team: record v Czechoslovakia". www.11v11.com.
Reports
- ↑
- "Mexico vs South Africa | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- "Match Report – Group A – Mexico v. South Africa". FIFA. June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- "Post match summary report – Group A – Mexico v. South Africa". FIFA. June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
- ↑
- "Korea Republic vs Czechia | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- "Match Report – Group A – Korea Republic v. Czechia". FIFA. June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- "Post match summary report – Group A – Korea Republic v. Czechia". FIFA. June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Czechia vs South Africa | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Mexico vs Korea Republic | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Czechia vs Mexico | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
- ↑ "South Africa vs Korea Republic | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved May 1, 2026.