Czechia vs Mexico Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
Czechia head into the final match day in Group A needing a win to squeeze into the knockout stages as they take on a Mexico side that have already wrapped up top spot.
Kick-off date/time:
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Czechia preview: Czechs need a win
Czechia began their FIFA World Cup campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Korea Republic in their opening game on the first day of the tournament. They took the lead in the second half via Ladislav Krejci before Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyu inflicted a defeat upon the Central Europeans.
In their second game, in what was a low-quality affair, Czechia shared a 1-1 draw with South Africa. Czechia had taken an early lead via Michal Sadilek before Teboho Mokoena converted a late penalty to leave the Czechs in a perilous position as they head into their final game.
Mexico preview: Knockouts in Mexico
With the pressure of being co-hosts, Mexico will be very content with their work, having wrapped up top spot with a game to go in Group A. They defeated South Africa by two goals to nil before then defeating the Koreans 1-0, with the second game being a fairly dull and unconvincing performance.
After a game that ended with Mexico having ten men on the pitch against Bafana Bafana's nine, Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez scored the goals for El Tri in their opener before Luis Romo pounced on a Kim Seung-gyu mistake in the Korea Republic goal in the second half to give the Mexicans a slender victory in Guadalajara.
Czechia team news: Soucek may return
West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek was dropped against South Africa but there is a feeling that Miroslav Koubek will recall both him and Olympique Lyonnais' Pavel Sulc.
Czechia are now without full-back David Jurasek for the remainder of the tournament due to injury with Michal Sadilek, who scored against South Africa, filling in out of position at left wing-back.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Kovar; Holes, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Darida, Soucek, Sadilek; Sulc; Schick, Hlozek
Unavailable: Jurasek (Injured)
Questionable:
Mexico team news: Probable changes
Having secured top spot in Group A, there is an expectation that Javier Aguirre makes some changes for this one with a lot of talk around whether or not veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa comes in to play at a sixth FIFA World Cup.
There have been reports suggesting Santiago Gimenez may start with Atletico Madrid midfielder Obed Vargas replacing Brian Gutierrez, who picked up a card against Korea Republic. Cesar Montes has returned from suspension and may well be a part of a rotated back-line.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Ochoa; Sanchez, Montes, Alvarez, Gallardo; Vargas, Lira, Mora; Gimenez, Jimenez, Quinones
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Czechia’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Vladimir Coufal ($3.6m) – Defender
Tomas Soucek ($5.6m) – Midfielder
Patrik Schick ($7.3m) – Forward
Matchday 3 captain pick: Patrik Schick
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Patrik Schick, Tomas Soucek
Free kicks: Pavel Sulc
Corners: Lukas Provod, Vladimir Coufal
Mexico’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Guillermo Ochoa ($4.2m) – Goalkeeper
Raul Jimenez ($7.0m) – Forward
Julian Quinones ($5.6m) – Forward
Matchday 3 captain pick: Raul Jimenez
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Raul Jimenez
Free kicks: Luis Chavez
Corners: Luis Chavez, Alexis Vega
Key stats
- The sides have met only once at the FIFA World Cup, a 3-1 victory for Mexico over Czechoslovakia in the 1962 group stage. The Czechs won their only other encounters—both friendlies—by identical 2-1 scores, in Ostrava in 1961 and in Hong Kong in February 2000.
- Czechia are aiming to reach the knockout phase for the first time since 1990.
- The 1-0 victory over Korea Republic saw Mexico become the first team to qualify for the Round of 32 as winners of Group A. They have now qualified for the knockout rounds in nine of their last ten participations in the competition.
- Mexico have won three successive FIFA World Cup matches for the first time. They are also the first Concacaf team to achieve the feat.
- Mexico have not conceded a first-half goal in their last 13 World Cup matches. That run stretches back to their 3-1 defeat to Argentina in the Round of 16 in 2010, when they conceded twice before half-time.
- A victory for Mexico would see them become the first Concacaf team to win 20 World Cup matches.
- Czechia pair Tomáš Souček and Vladimír Coufal were West Ham United team-mates of Mexico captain Edson Álvarez in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
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Czechia vs Mexico prediction
Czechia came through immense pressure in qualification to reach FIFA World Cup 2026, having defeated both the Republic of Ireland and then Denmark on penalties in the UEFA play-offs in March; suggesting that they will be content with their ability to deal with a game that is in the balance and has a lot riding on it, as this one likely will.
Mexico head into this one on the back of a bit of criticism levelled at the conservative nature of Javier Aguirre and his side, with the match-winner against the Koreans, Luis Romo, having said his team didn't really need to win that game in the build-up to that clash.
With Mexico likely to heavily rotate, unable to be knocked off top spot, siding with Czechia in a potentially low-scoring affair would appear a decent bet for this one.
Czechia vs Mexico betting tip: Double chance – Czechia or draw & under 3.5 goals
