2026 FIFA World Cup Group A

Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to 24, 2026. The group consists of Mexico (co-host), South Africa, South Korea, and Czechia. The top two teams, possibly along with the third-placed team, will advance to the round of 32.

Notes

In the round of 32:

• 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).

All times listed are local.

The two teams have 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. This match coincidentally will take place exactly 16 years after.

The teams have played three times, most recently in a 2016 friendly, a 2–1 victory for the South Koreans.

The teams have only played each other in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, where the teams drew 2–2.

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.

The teams only played each other once in 2000, a 2–1 win for the Czechs. 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.

This will be the first time these two teams meet.

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:

• 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.

• Official website