Korea Republic vs Czechia Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
In what appears to be a very evenly matched Group A alongside Mexico and South Africa, Korea Republic and Czechia could well take the initiative in the second game of the tournament here.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – ITVX / USA – FOX One
Korea Republic preview: A woeful March
During the March international break, Korea Republic succumbed to a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Cote d’Ivoire before then being beaten 1-0 by Austria. It is somewhat surprising, therefore, that Hong Myung-bo remains in charge of the Koreans, despite the slightest of improvements in the post-Jurgen Klinsmann era.
The Koreans have some attacking quality, most notably with former Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min and Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in, but they struggled to flex those muscles in the final third in AFC qualification – with their record flattered by back-to-back wins at the end of their third round campaign against Iraq and Kuwait.
In their pre-tournament friendlies ahead of the FIFA World Cup, Korea Republic put in a much-improved performance to hammer Trinidad and Tobago by five goals to nil before edging past El Salvador by a goal to nil.
Czechia preview: Rare appearance at a WC
Czechia are a part of the furniture when it comes to the UEFA European Championship but for just the second time ever, and the first in 20 years, the Czechs are back at a FIFA World Cup. 74-year-old manager Miroslav Koubek has an experienced squad at his disposal and they will be content with the aforementioned evenly matched nature of Group A.
The Czechs, who suffered a shock defeat to the Faroe Islands in the group stages of UEFA qualification, managed to edge their way into the tournament by coming from 2-0 down to beat the Republic of Ireland on penalties, before then earning another shootout win against Denmark in the European play-offs in Prague.
As preparation for the FIFA World Cup, Czechia edged past an improved and an entertaining Kosovo side 2-1 before another relatively unconvincing performance to dispatch of Guatemala by three goals to one.
Korea Republic team news: Son to lead the line
Korea Republic's FIFA World Cup 2002 captain Hong Myung-bo is blessed with what appears to be a fully fit and available squad. Cho Gue-sung started their final friendly against El Salvador but captain Son Heung-min will come into that role, in front of Hwang Hee-chan and Lee Kang-in.
The latest player to change the dynamic of their side is German-born Borussia Monchengladbach man Jens Castrop. Naturally a defensive midfielder, he has adapted well to being a wing-back and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him start ahead of Seol Young-woo.
Frustratingly for the Koreans, centre-back Kim Tae-hyeon has suffered an injury and now looks set to be unavailable alongside Stoke City’s Bae Jun-ho.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Jo; Kim M.H., Kim M.J., Lee H.B.; Castrop, Hwang I.B., Lee J.S., Lee T.S.; Lee K.I., Hwang H.C.; Son
Unavailable: Bae
Questionable: Kim T.H.
Czechia team news: Hopeful on Kuchta
As they head into their opening game, it appears as though Miroslav Koubek has a fully fit and available squad. He is expected to go with his preferred back three after the Czechs had headed into the last couple of UEFA European Championship campaigns playing a 4-2-3-1.
Patrik Schick will be at the top of the team, ably supported by the reliable Lukas Provod and the exciting Pavel Sulc. Further back, Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Ladislav Krejci will wear the armband after Tomas Soucek was stripped of that duty last year.
Jan Kuchta was expected to be sidelined for their opener due to an ankle injury but, in his pre-match press conference, Koubek has expressed hope that Kuchta may well be available.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Kovar; Chaloupek, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Soucek, Sadilek, Jurasek; Provod, Sulc; Schick
Unavailable:
Questionable: Kuchta (Injured)
Korea Republic’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Kim Min-Jae ($5.0m) – Defender
Lee Kang-in ($6.1m) – Midfielder
Son Heung-min ($7.4m) – Forward
Matchday 1 captain pick: Son Heung-Min
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan
Free kicks: Lee Kang-in, Son Heung-min
Corners: Lee Kang-in, Son Heung-min
Czechia’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Vladimir Coufal ($3.6m) – Defender
Tomas Soucek ($5.6m) – Midfielder
Patrik Schick ($7.3m) – Forward
Matchday 1 captain pick: Patrik Schick
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Patrik Schick, Tomas Soucek
Free kicks: Pavel Sulc
Corners: Lukas Provod, Vladimir Coufal
Key stats
- This is the first ever FIFA World Cup meeting between Korea Republic and Czechia, and that includes all matches from the era of Czechoslovakia.
- Korea Republic have appeared at the FIFA World Cup more times than any other Asian nation. The 2026 edition marks their 12th overall participation and 11th consecutive appearance, having last missed out in 1982.
- Korea Republic’s fourth-place finish in 2002 is the best showing by an Asian team in FIFA World Cup history. During that campaign, they famously overcame Italy in the round of 16 and Spain in the quarter-finals before succumbing to Germany in the last four.
- The AFC powerhouses have prevailed in their last two FIFA World Cup matches against European opposition, with these successes coming in their group-stage curtain-closers in the 2018 and 2022 editions: a 2-0 win over Germany and a 2-1 triumph over Portugal respectively. Notably, six of their seven all‑time victories at the global bonanza have come against European teams.
- Czechia return to the FIFA World Cup stage for the first time in 20 years, with their last appearance dating back to the 2006 tournament in Germany when they exited in the group stage.
- Competing as the former state of Czechoslovakia, Czechia’s best FIFA World Cup performances were runners‑up finishes in 1934 and 1962, losing the finals to Italy and Brazil respectively.
- The only time that Czechoslovakia or Czechia have met an AFC side in FIFA World Cup action was in the 1-1 draw with Kuwait in the first group stage at the 1982 instalment.
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Korea Republic vs Czechia prediction
There is an over-reliance on the ageing Son, who has struggled to cope with one of his key assets, his pace, becoming majorly diminished. The Koreans take on a Czech side that do have some talented attackers themselves, such as Patrik Schick and Pavel Sulc. However, the Europeans are again likely to try and simply play a controlled style of football and so a low-scoring clash for this Group A opener seems a decent bet at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara.
Korea Republic vs Czechia betting tip: Under 2.5 goals
