Related videos:
A week away from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Group A is shaping up to be one of the most balanced and uncertain of the entire group stage, with Mexico, South Korea, Czech Republic, and South Africa competing in a matchup where no team has guaranteed qualification.
On paper, Mexico is the favorite due to its World Cup experience and the advantage of playing at home, but the reality is that its three opponents arrive with enough reasons to make this battle one of the closest of the tournament.
El Tri seeks redemption at home
The Mexican team in the 2026 World Cup is facing its eighteenth participation in a World Cup, aiming to move past the disappointment of Qatar 2022, where it was eliminated in the group stage for the first time since Argentina 1978, breaking a streak of seven consecutive World Cups advancing beyond the first round.
History is on their side: in the two World Cups they hosted, in 1970 and 1986, the Mexicans reached the quarter-finals on both occasions.
Their first two group matches will be played on Mexican soil: the debut against South Africa on Tuesday, June 11, at Estadio Azteca, and the clash against South Korea on June 18 at Estadio Chivas in Guadalajara.
South Korea, the most dangerous rival
South Korea arrives as a team accustomed to competing on grand stages. The Asians will participate in their twelfth World Cup with Son Heung-min as captain and players like Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in, and they carry the indelible memory of Korea-Japan 2002, when they reached a historic semifinal, which remains the best performance by an Asian team in the history of the tournament.
With a solid tactical structure, speed in transition, and players with experience in top European leagues, the South Koreans emerge as an extremely troublesome opponent for anyone in the group.
Czech Republic, more history than it appears
Czech Republic may not enjoy the media prominence of other European teams, but its World Cup history is more significant than many remember.
Under the name Czechoslovakia, it reached two World Cup finals, in 1934 and 1962. Now, it seeks to write a new chapter as an independent nation, as it has yet to advance beyond the group stage since its independence in 1993.
His roster of 26 players, announced on May 31, is led by Tomáš Souček and Patrik Schick, with a very strong domestic foundation: 10 players from Slavia Prague and 17 in total coming from the Czech league.
South Africa, the hunger to amaze
South Africa arrives as an apparent contender for elimination, but with the hope of defying predictions. The Bafana Bafana will be competing in only their fourth World Cup and are still in pursuit of their first qualification for the knockout stage in their history.
They arrived at the tournament as leaders of their group in the African qualifiers, with 18 points from 10 matches, securing their spot on October 14, 2025, with a 3-0 victory over Rwanda.
With players like Ronwen Williams, Teboho Mokoena, and Lyle Foster, they possess speed, energy, and the enthusiasm of a team that has nothing to lose.
A group with no clear favorite
In an expanded World Cup with 48 teams, where many groups feature clear favorites, Group A offers something different: uncertainty.
Mexico contributes history and locality. South Korea brings recent experience in major tournaments. The Czech Republic adds European tradition. South Africa embodies the hunger to surprise.
A small detail can make the difference between advancing to the round of sixteen or returning home prematurely, and the Group A matches kick off next Tuesday with Mexico vs South Africa at the Azteca, the venue that holds the most pressure and excitement of the entire tournament.
Filed under: