South Korea vs Czech Republic Predicted Lineups World Cup 2026
South Korea vs Czech Republic Predicted Lineups World Cup 2026 – The opening Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will see South Korea and the Czech Republic face each other in what is expected to be a fiercely contested encounter.
Both teams will be eager to begin the tournament with a positive result to boost their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.
The match is scheduled to take place at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 8:00 PM local time.
In a group that also includes South Africa and co-hosts Mexico, only a top-two finish will guarantee progression to the knockout phase.
Before the match begins, let's take a look at Mansion Sports' prediction for the South Korea vs Czech Republic World Cup 2026 lineups below!
Team News Ahead of the Match
South Korea
South Korea is set to participate in its 12th FIFA World Cup, the highest total among Asian nations, and this year's edition will mark its 11th consecutive appearance.
However, since making their debut in 1986, the Taegeuk Warriors have recorded only seven victories from 38 World Cup matches, with most of those wins coming during their co-hosted tournament in 2002.
South Korea's captain during that historic tournament, Hong Myung-bo, will now lead the national team to the World Cup for a second time after previously suffering a group-stage exit at Brazil 2014.
Hong's side was the only team to remain unbeaten throughout AFC qualifying, recording 11 victories and five draws while scoring a total of 40 goals.
The only opponent they failed to defeat was Palestine, who managed to secure two hard-fought draws, allowing South Korea to finish six points ahead of second-placed Jordan in the second group phase.
Ranked 25th in the FIFA World Rankings, they recently completed their preparations with a victory over El Salvador, as Lee Dong-gyeong's precise free-kick secured the win in Utah.
After also crushing Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 a few days earlier, South Korea enters this match in ideal condition to face the Czech Republic for the first time at a World Cup. In their previous three friendly encounters, both teams have recorded one victory each.
Czech Republic
Taking a more difficult path than their opponents, the Czech Republic qualified for the World Cup through the UEFA playoffs.
Last year, they failed to win Group L after being defeated by Croatia, while an embarrassing 2-1 loss to the Faroe Islands cost Ivan Hasek his job. Interim manager Jaroslav Kostl later handed over the reins to the highly experienced 74-year-old Miroslav Koubek.
After falling in the playoff semi-finals for the 2022 FIFA World Cup against Sweden, many feared the Czech Republic would miss out again. However, they successfully overcame the Republic of Ireland and Denmark via penalty shootouts after two dramatic matches ended 2-2.
As runners-up at the 1934 and 1962 World Cups when competing as Czechoslovakia, they have struggled to make a significant impact in recent decades, and this marks their first World Cup appearance in 20 years.
At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, they were eliminated in the group stage, but hopes of progressing further this time have increased thanks to their recent run of six consecutive victories.
Since gathering for their pre-tournament training camp, Koubek's side has defeated Kosovo 2-1 and Guatemala 3-1, maintaining positive momentum.
Unafraid to play direct football, the physically imposing Czech team poses a serious threat from set-piece situations. Half of their goals during qualification came from set plays, including seven goals from corner kicks.
Interestingly, they will begin their Group A campaign with the first of two matches to be played in Mexico, at an altitude of approximately 2,000 meters above sea level.
South Korea vs Czech Republic Predicted Lineups World Cup 2026
South Korea (3-4-2-1)
Regarding South Korea's squad condition, captain Son Heung-min is just two goals away from equaling Cha Bum-kun's all-time national team scoring record that has stood for the past 40 years, and he is expected to lead the attack on Thursday.
The LAFC forward has been directly involved in four of the Taegeuk Warriors' last 10 World Cup goals and recorded 14 goal contributions during AFC qualification.
Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Jae-sung, and Paris Saint-Germain attacker Lee Kang-in are the leading candidates to provide support for Son.
Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae will lead the three-man defense. However, fellow defender Cho Yu-min has been ruled out with a foot injury, resulting in uncapped Jo Wi-je being called up as his replacement.
Czech Republic (3-4-2-1)
If Son Heung-min is South Korea's star player, then Patrik Schick is the Czech Republic's main weapon. The Bayer Leverkusen striker has scored six goals in seven appearances at major tournaments and also netted five times during qualification.
Pavel Sulc will serve as the Czech Republic's chief creator, operating slightly further forward than experienced midfielder Tomas Soucek, who lost the captain's armband earlier this year.
Ladislav Krejci will captain the side from the three-man defense, while playoff penalty shootout hero Matej Kovar is expected to start in goal.
As the opening Group A fixture approaches, the South Korea vs Czech Republic Predicted Lineups World Cup 2026 indicate that both teams will rely on their strongest players from the very first minute.
South Korea will hope that Son Heung-min's experience can make the difference, while the Czech Republic will depend on Patrik Schick's finishing ability and their strength from set-piece situations.
With both sides determined to secure their first three points, this is a match that football fans around the world should eagerly anticipate.