Czech Republic vs South Africa FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview: Everything you need to know

World Cup - Grp. A

Atlanta Stadium

The Czech Republic vs South Africa will kick off on 18 Jun 2026 at 12:00 EST and 16:00 GMT.

Match context

Bafana Bafana opened Group A in disastrous fashion with a 2-0 defeat against Mexico on the opening day of the tournament, a match in which they saw two players get their marching orders from the referee. Red cards for Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane severely handicapped a team that was even struggling to create clear-cut chances when they had 11 men on the pitch, and both men will miss this upcoming meeting with the Czechs. Meanwhile, the Czech Republic lost 2-1 to South Korea despite taking the lead on 59 minutes in Group A's other opening encounter. Suffice to say, this match has already taken on extra significance as both sides are already scrapping to get out of then group.

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Who are the Czech Republic's key players, and who is their coach?

Making a highly anticipated return to the global stage for the first time since 2006, the Czech Republic are known for their robust, hardworking style with technical quality sprinkled into the mix. Under manager Miroslav Koubek, the team plays a pragmatic brand of football.

Combining an imposing 191 cm physical frame with elite technical finishing, Schick enters the tournament having bagged 16 goals from 28 Bundesliga appearances last term. He remains the team's chief goal-scoring threat and focal point. West Ham midfielder Tomas Souček, a mountain of a man himself, is a constant threat at set pieces and also has a healthy knack for getting into smart goal-scoring positions with smart late runs into the box. Lyon star Pavel Šulc is an exciting playmaker operating just behind Schick.

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Who are South Africa's key players, and who is their coach?

Everything goes through Mamelodi Sundowns midfield metronome Teboho Mokoena. Around him, Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos will also lean on the precocious talents of 21-year-old Orlando Pirates sensation Relebohile Mofokeng. 

USA-based defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi is still only 20 but is already being earmarked as a future Bafana skipper. Burnley striker Lyle Foster will lead the line with his relentless pressing, channel-running and smart link-up play. 

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Predicted Czech Republic XI

Kovar; Chaloupek, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Soucek, Sojka, Zeleny; Sulc, Provod; Schick.

Predicted Bafana XI

Williams; Mudau, Okon, Mbokazi, Modiba; Mokoena, Adams; Mofokeng, Mbatha, Appollis; Foster.

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Czech Republic 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Braga), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague)

Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), David Doudera (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Hoffenheim), Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague)

Midfielders: Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochurek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Olympique Lyonnais), Denis Visinsky (Viktoria Plzen)

Forwards: Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim), Tomas Chory (Slavia Prague), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).

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South Africa 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns), Ricardo Goss (Siwelele), Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates).

Defenders: Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Khulumani Ndamane (all Mamelodi Sundowns), Olwethu Makhanya (Philadelphia Union), Bradley Cross (Kaizer Chiefs), Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City), Nkosinathi Sibisi, Kamogelo Sebelebele (both Orlando Pirates), Ime Okon (Hannover), Samukele Kabini (Molde FK), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire).

Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena, Jayden Adams (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Thalente Mbatha (Orlando Pirates), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela).

Forwards: Oswin Appollis, Tshepang Moremi, Evidence Makgopa, Relebohile Mofokeng (all Orlando Pirates), Lyle Foster (Burnley), Iqraam Rayners, Themba Zwane (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Thapelo Maseko (AEL Limassol).

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Czechia vs South Africa lineups

3-5-2

Czechia

CZE

Formation

South Africa

RSA

4-3-3

1M. Kovar7L. Krejci3T. Holes4R. Hranac5V. Coufal8V. Darida24A. Sojka18M. Sadilek12L. Cerv10P. Schick9A. Hlozek1R. Williams14M. Mbokazi6A. Modiba20K. Mudau21I. Okon23J. Adams5T. Mbatha4T. Mokoena12T. Maseko7O. Appollis15I. Rayners

South Africa

RSA

3-5-2

CZERSA

Starting XI

• 1

  M. Kovar

  7.0
  1

  CR. Williams

  6.8
• 7

  CL. Krejci

  6.8
  14

  M. Mbokazi

  7.0
• 3

  T. Holes

  6.8
  6

  A. Modiba

  6.7
• 4

  R. Hranac

  7.0
  20

  K. Mudau

  6.7
• 5

  V. Coufal

  6.8
  21

  I. Okon

  6.8
• 8

  V. Darida

  P. Sulc 55'

  7.0
  23

  J. Adams

  R. Mofokeng 46'

  5.8
• 24

  A. Sojka

  J. Zeleny 55'

  7.0
  5

  T. Mbatha

  6.3
• 18

  M. Sadilek

  T. Soucek 67'

  7.8
  4

  T. Mokoena

  7.4
• 12

  L. Cerv

  D. Zima 78'

  6.8
  12

  T. Maseko

  K. Sebelebele 84'

  6.8
• 10

  P. Schick

  6.8
  7

  O. Appollis

  6.6
• 9

  A. Hlozek

  L. Provod 67'

  7.0
  15

  I. Rayners

  E. Makgopa 66'

  6.3

Substitutes

• 16

  J. Stanek
  19

  N. Sibisi
• 20

  J. Zeleny

  A. Sojka 55'

  5.8
  8

  T. Moremi
• 6

  S. Chaloupek
  22

  R. Goss
• 25

  H. Sochurek
  25

  K. Sebelebele

  T. Maseko 84'

  6.1
• 26

  D. Visinsky
  26

  B. Cross
• 11

  J. Kuchta
  24

  O. Makhanya
• 2

  D. Zima

  L. Cerv 78'

  5.8
  3

  K. Ndamane
• 21

  D. Doudera
  16

  S. Chaine
• 17

  L. Provod

  A. Hlozek 67'

  5.8
  10

  R. Mofokeng

  J. Adams 46'

  6.2
• 22

  T. Soucek

  M. Sadilek 67'

  5.7
  9

  L. Foster
• 23

  L. Hornicek
  17

  E. Makgopa

  I. Rayners 66'

  6.3
• 13

  M. Chytil
  2

  T. Matuludi
• 19

  T. Chory
  18

  S. Kabini
• 15

  P. Sulc

  V. Darida 55'

  5.6

Manager

• M. Koubek

• H. Broos

Injuries and Suspensions

• 13
  S. Sithole
• 11
  T. Zwane

Form

CZE - Form

AllHome

W2-2

W2-2

W2-1

W3-1

L2-1

Goal Scored (Conceded)

10/8

Games over 2.5 goals

5/5

Both teams scored

5/5

RSA - Form

AllAway

D1-1

L1-2

D0-0

W0-1

L2-0

Goal Scored (Conceded)

3/5

Games over 2.5 goals

1/5

Both teams scored

2/5

Head-to-Head Record

No head-to-head data is available for Czechia and South Africa in the provided match records. This fixture represents a rare meeting between the two nations on the international stage.

Standings