South Korea will take on Czechia in their first encounter of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Thursday (June 11).
Kicking off their Group A campaign at the FIFA World Cup 2026, both South Korea and the Czech Republic will look to get early points on the board when they meet at the Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday.
In a group also featuring tournament co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, only a top-two finish will guarantee progress to the knockout phase, making this opening clash vital for both sides.
South Korea vs Czechia
South Korea are all set for a 12th World Cup appearance, the most of any Asian nation and this year's finals will mark their 11th straight appearance. Led by head coach Hong Myung-bo (who captained the Taegeuk Warriors at the memorable 2002 tournament), the team
was the only unbeaten side throughout AFC qualifying, winning 11 and drawing five matches while racking up an impressive 40 goals. Ranked 25th by FIFA, they enter the tournament with good momentum following warm-up victories over El Salvador and Trinidad & Tobago.
The Czech Republic, meanwhile, took a more circuitous route, stealing into this World Cup via the UEFA playoffs. After Ivan Hasek's departure last year, 74-year-old veteran Miroslav Koubek took the reins and guided the team to penalty shootout victories over both the Republic of Ireland and Denmark. Marking their first World Cup appearance in 20 years, the Czechs will pose a serious threat from set-pieces, half of their qualifying goals came via dead-ball situations and arrive in strong form riding a recent sequence of six straight wins.
South Korea vs Czech Republic Schedule, Kick-Off Time
Date: Thursday, June 11 / Friday, June 12 (depending on time zone)
Kick-Off Time: 3:00 A.M. BST (June 11)/ 7:30 A.M. IST (June 12)
Venue: Guadalajara Stadium, Guadalajara, Mexico
South Korea vs Czech Republic Head-to-Head Record
The two sides have a perfectly balanced head-to-head record heading into their first-ever World Cup encounter. Across three previous friendlies, the results stand at one win apiece and one draw.
South Korea vs Czechia Predicted Lineups
South Korea: 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
Czechia: Matej Kovar; Stepan Chaloupek, Robin Hranac, Ladislav Krejci; Vladimir Coufal, Lukas Cerv, Tomas Soucek, Matej Jurasek; Lukas Provod, Pavel Sulc; Patrik Schick
South Korea vs Czechia Key Players
South Korea
Captain Son Heung-min is the undeniable star. The LAFC striker has been directly involved in four of his country's last 10 World Cup goals and is just two goals away from equalling South Korea's all-time scoring record, held by Cha Bum-kun for 40 years. Defensively, Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae will be crucial as he helms the three-man backline.
Czech Republic
Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick leads the attacking charge for the Czechs, having previously scored six goals in seven major tournament appearances. Operating just behind him will be Pavel Sulc, who will act as the team's key creator. At the back, Ladislav Krejci will skipper the side in a back three, shielding playoff penalty hero Matej Kovar in goal.
South Korea vs Czech Republic Score Prediction
South Korea 1-1 Czech Republic
Though the Czechs are on a roll, this could be a cagey affair between two very different teams. Avoiding defeat on the opening day will be the utmost priority, as claiming at least one point will edge either side toward a respectable place in the last 32.
