Breaking down Group A for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including schedule, rosters, best bets and more!
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Although it is not one of the “groups of death” and may not have the star power that some of the other FIFA World Cup 2026 groups have, Group A is one of the more intriguing ones due to its possibility for chaos. Headlined by host country Mexico, who rank 15th in the FIFA Men’s Rankings, South Korea is the only other country in the top 40.
While that would usually draw people to believe the group is all but decided already, we have seen much crazier things happen before at the World Cup. So, this group will be one to keep your eye on.
World Cup Groups Previews
FIFA World Cup Schedule For Group A
Thursday, June 11th
3:00 EST- Mexico vs South Africa @ Estadio Banorte, Mexico City, Mexico
10:00 EST- South Korea vs Czechia @ Estadio Akron, Guadalajara, Mexico
Thursday, June 18th
12:00 EST- Czechia vs South Africa @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
9:00 EST- Mexico vs South Korea @ Estadio Akron, Guadalajara, Mexico
Wednesday, June 24th
9:00 EST- Czechia vs Mexico @ Estadio Banorte, Mexico City, Mexico
9:00 EST- South Africa vs South Korea @ Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, Mexico
FIFA Rankings
FIFA World Rankings are from FIFA.com
| Team | Rank | Total Points |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 15 | 1681.03 |
| South Africa | 60 | 1429.73 |
| South Korea | 25 | 1588.66 |
| Czechia | 41 | 1501.38 |
FIFA World Cup Rosters 2026
- Mexico World Cup Roster
- South Africa World Cup Roster
- South Korea World Cup Roster
- Czechia World Cup Roster
World Cup Group A Predictions
This group should be relatively straightforward. Mexico not only gets the ability to play at home, but they get to play all of their games in the high altitude of Mexico City and Guadalajara, with the former being over 7,000 feet above sea level. The altitude and the difficulties in playing in such a place make beating Mexico on their turf even harder than it would otherwise be. South Korea certainly has the ability to do that, especially with having the best player in the group in forward Son Heung-Min. Still, Mexico should be able to wear them, and everyone else in the group, down by their style of play.
As for how the remaining teams shake up behind Mexico, it seems pretty fair to put South Africa last. South Korea has the best player in the group, and Czechia has arguably the best midfielder in the group in Tomás Soucek of West Ham in the English Premier League. Czechia has enough players to make it close with South Korea, but in a group where goal differential will likely be the difference, I’ll give the nod to South Korea. They have a better attack and should be able to score more than Czechia over the three games in the group, which should see them qualify for the knockout rounds.
World Cup Best Bets 2026
The World Cup betting odds come from BetUS Sportsbook. Bet from anywhere in the country and claim the largest signup promo in the industry today! When you sign up through our BetUS Sportsbook promo code link here and deposit at least $50, you can claim up to a $3000 bonus!
Mexico to win Group A: +110
South Korea to finish second: +190
South Africa to finish last: -120
Players to Watch
Mexico — Guillermo Ochoa (Goalkeeper), Edson Álvarez (Midfielder), Raúl Jiménez (Forward), Julián Quiñones (Forward)
South Africa — Ronwen Williams (Goalkeeper), Lyle Foster (Forward)
South Korea — Kim Min-Jae (Defender), Lee Kang-in (Midfielder), Son Heung-Min (Forward), Hwang Hee-Chan (Forward)
Czechia — Matej Kovar (Goalkeeper), Tomás Soucek (Midfielder), Patrik Schick (Forward)
