The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just a few weeks away, and the 12 groups are set ahead of the newly expanded 48-team tournament.
The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marks the first time the historic tournament has expanded from 32 to 48 teams. It will also feature a new Round of 32 knockout stage, resulting in a colossal 104 matches across 39 days.
Group A includes Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and the Czech Republic. Let’s take a look at the Group A teams and see how each team is shaping up heading into the tournament.
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and Czech Republic
Mexico:
All eyes and pressure will be on Mexico as it opens the World Cup against South Africa at home in Mexico City. All three of Mexico’s group-stage matchups will be played on home turf, so it will be key to see whether Mexico can capitalize on its home advantage or falter under the pressure against a tough Group A field.
Important veterans who can help anchor Mexico include captain Edson Álvarez, goalscorer Raúl Jiménez and Guillermo Ochoa, who will aim to play in his sixth World Cup as a goalkeeper for El Tri.
South Korea:
South Korea is one of the favorites to top Group A and is a team that has enjoyed a lot of recent success due to its well-tuned high-pressing structure and experience in previous World Cup tournaments.
They advanced out of its group in 2022 before losing to Brazil in the Round of 16 and famously upset Germany at the 2018 World Cup. Key players for South Korea include forward Son Heung-min, midfielder Hwang Hee-chan and defender Kim Min-jae.
South Africa:
South Africa’s first match of the tournament will be against Mexico in a rematch of their 2010 World Cup opener in Johannesburg. This time, the South Africans will be the visitors at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which will surely be a hostile and challenging environment.
South Africa’s last World Cup appearance was in 2010, and its path in this year’s edition won’t be easy, as it will have to face tough group opponents such as South Korea and the Czech Republic.
Czech Republic:
The Czech Republic enters the World Cup for the first time since 2006, when it made its tournament debut as an independent nation. The Czechs may not be the favorites in Group A, but they have a sound structure and resilience, something they showcased in the UEFA playoffs, where they defeated both Denmark and Ireland.
The Czech Republic will be looking for veterans like Tomáš Souček to step up, as well as striker Patrik Schick, who scored a tournament-high five goals at UEFA Euro 2020.
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