Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place from June 11 to 24, 2026. The group consisted of national football teams representing Mexico (co-host), South Africa, South Korea, and the Czech Republic. This also marked the return of the Czech Republic and South Africa to the World Cup, respectively, since 2006 and 2010.
The top two teams, Mexico and South Africa, secured their place in the round of 32. Mexico won the group, winning three consecutive games, while South Africa won one game and drew the other, having lost their opening match to Mexico. South Korea finished third, having won one game, while the Czech Republic finished fourth with a single point.
Teams Draw position Team Pot Confederation Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Previous bestperformance FIFA Rankings November 2025 June 2026 A1 1 CONCACAF Co-host February 14, 2023 18th 2022 Quarter-finals (1970, 1986) 15 14 A2 3 CAF CAF Group C winner October 14, 2025 4th 2010 Group stage (1998, 2002, 2010) 61 60 A3 2 AFC AFC third round Group B winner June 5, 2025 12th 2022 Fourth place (2002) 22 25 A4 4 UEFA UEFA second round Path D winner March 31, 2026 10th 2006 Runner-up (1934, 1962) 44 40 Notes
Standings
In the round of 32: The winner of Group A, Mexico, advanced to play the third-place team of Group E, Ecuador. The runner-up of Group A, South Africa, advanced to play the runner-up of Group B, Canada.
Matches All times listed are local.
Mexico vs South Africa
The two teams had faced each other four times, most recently in a 1–1 draw in the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening match, with South Africa as the host nation. This match coincidentally took place exactly 16 years after. Additionally, South Africa manager Hugo Broos and Mexico’s Javier Aguirre encountered each other on the same pitch during the 1986 World Cup as players for Belgium and Mexico, respectively.
Mexico went in front in the 9th minute when Julián Quiñones scored with a low right footed finish through the legs of South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams from just inside the penalty area after Sphephelo Sithole was caught in possession on the edge of the penalty area by Erik Lira. Four minutes into the second half, South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole was sent-off after fouling Mexico's Brian Gutiérrez when he was going through on goal. It was 2–0 in the 67th minute when Raúl Jiménez scored his first goal at a World Cup finals, a header at the back post to the left of the net after a cross from the right by Roberto Alvarado.
In the 73rd minute, South African substitute Themba Zwane was sent off for a slap in the face of Mexican forward Roberto Alvarado. In the 92nd minute there was a third red card in the game with Mexican captain César Montes sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity by fouling Khuliso Mudau with Mexico going on to win the game 2–0.
This marked the first time Mexico won an opening match as they had lost opening matches in 1930, 1950 and 1954, and drawing in the 1970 (as hosts) and 2010 editions. This marked the first opening match with the most red cards in FIFA World Cup history. It also has the most red cards since the Battle of Nuremberg, which was a match between Portugal vs Netherlands in the 2006 FIFA World Cup that had a total of 4 red cards.
GK 1 Raúl RangelRB 15Israel ReyesCB 3 César Montes (c) CB 5 Johan VásquezLB 23Jesús GallardoDM 6 Érik Lira CM 8 Álvaro Fidalgo CM 26Brian Gutiérrez RF 25Roberto AlvaradoCF 9 Raúl Jiménez LF 16Julián Quiñones Substitutions:MF 19Gilberto Mora MF 24Luis Chávez DF 4 Edson Álvarez FW 14Armando González FW 10Alexis Vega Manager:Javier Aguirre GK 1 Ronwen Williams (c)CB 21Ime OkonCB 19Nkosinathi Sibisi CB 14Mbekezeli MbokaziRWB20Khuliso MudauLWB6 Aubrey Modiba CM 23Jayden Adams CM 13Sphephelo Sithole CM 4 Teboho Mokoena CF 9 Lyle Foster CF 15Iqraam Rayners Substitutions:MF 5 Thalente Mbatha MF 11Themba Zwane FW 7 Oswin Appollis FW 17Evidence Makgopa Manager: Hugo Broos
Man of the Match: Julián Quiñones (Mexico)
Assistant referees: Bruno Pires (Brazil) Bruno Boschilia (Brazil) Fourth official: Juan Gabriel Benítez (Paraguay) Reserve assistant referee: Eduardo Cardozo (Paraguay) Video assistant referee: Nicolás Gallo (Colombia) Assistant video assistant referee: Juan Lara (Chile) Support video assistant referee: Jérôme Brisard (France)
South Korea vs Czech Republic
The teams had played each other three times, most recently in a 2016 friendly, a 2–1 victory for the South Koreans. South Korea and Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic's predecessor state, met previously three times in the 1980s, with a win for the Koreans and two draws. The fixture marked the Czech Republic's return to the World Cup after a 20-year absence, following a group-stage elimination in 2006 during their debut as an independent nation.
The Czech Republic went in front in the 59th minute with a header from captain Ladislav Krejčí to the right of the net from six yards out after a long throw-in from Vladimir Coufal from the right. It was 1–1 in the 67th minute when Hwang In-beom received the ball from Lee Kang-in before turning back onto his right foot before scooping the ball over the advancing Matěj Kovář and into the right of the net.
In the 78th minute, Tomáš Souček headed in a free kick from the left, but the goal was ruled out for offside. In the 80th minute, Hwang In-beom crossed low from the right and Oh Hyeon-gyu finished from six yards out to the left of the net to put South Korea 2–1 in front. In the 82nd minute, South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu saved down low to his right to stop Adam Hložek's close-range effort with South Korea going on to win 2–1.
GK 1 Kim Seung-gyuCB 2 Lee Han-beomCB 4 Kim Min-jaeCB 3 Lee Gi-hyuk RM 22Seol Young-wooCM 6 Hwang In-beom CM 8 Paik Seung-ho LM 13Lee Tae-seok RF 19Lee Kang-inCF 7 Son Heung-min (c) LF 10Lee Jae-sung Substitutions:MF 11Hwang Hee-chan MF 25Eom Ji-sung FW 18Oh Hyeon-gyu MF 24Kim Jin-gyu DF 16Park Jin-seob Manager:Hong Myung-bo GK 1 Matěj KovářCB 6 Štěpán ChaloupekCB 4 Robin HranáčCB 7 Ladislav Krejčí (c)RWB5 Vladimír CoufalLWB20Jaroslav ZelenýCM 22Tomáš SoučekCM 17Lukáš Provod RF 24Alexandr Sojka CF 10Patrik Schick LF 15Pavel Šulc Substitutions:FW 9 Adam Hložek MF 18Michal Sadílek FW 19Tomáš Chorý FW 13Mojmír Chytil Manager:Miroslav Koubek
Man of the Match: Hwang In-beom (South Korea)
Assistant referees: Mahmoud Abouregal (Egypt) Ahmed Hossam Taha (Egypt) Fourth official: Juan Gabriel Calderón (Costa Rica) Reserve assistant referee: Juan Carlos Mora (Costa Rica) Video assistant referee: Mahmoud Ashour (Egypt) Assistant video assistant referee: Joe Dickerson (United States) Support video assistant referee: Marco Di Bello (Italy)
Czech Republic vs South Africa The teams had only played each other in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, where the teams drew 2–2. This was the only match in Group A held outside of Mexico.
By officiating this match, referees Tori Penso, Brooke Mayo, and Kathryn Nesbitt became the second all-female on-field refereeing trio, and the first from the United States, to take charge of a match at a men's FIFA World Cup.
In the 6th minute, Michal Sadílek scored with a finish from the left of the penalty area into the right of the net. In the 83rd minute, South Africa were awarded a penalty when a shot from Thapelo Maseko hit the arm of Pavel Šulc inside the penalty area. Teboho Mokoena scored the penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way with a shot to the left to make it 1–1.
GK 1 Matěj KovářCB 3 Tomáš HolešCB 4 Robin HranáčCB 7 Ladislav Krejčí (c) RM 5 Vladimír CoufalCM 18Michal Sadílek CM 12Lukáš Červ CM 8 Vladimír Darida LM 24Alexandr Sojka CF 10Patrik SchickCF 9 Adam Hložek Substitutions:DF 20 Jaroslav Zelený MF 15 Pavel Šulc MF 22 Tomáš Souček MF 17 Lukáš Provod DF 2 David Zima Manager:Miroslav Koubek GK 1 Ronwen Williams (c)RB 20Khuliso MudauCB 21Ime OkonCB 14Mbekezeli MbokaziLB 6 Aubrey ModibaCM 23Jayden Adams CM 4 Teboho Mokoena CM 5 Thalente Mbatha RF 12Thapelo Maseko CF 15Iqraam Rayners LF 7 Oswin AppollisSubstitutions:FW 10 Relebohile Mofokeng FW 17 Evidence Makgopa DF 25 Kamogelo Sebelebele Manager: Hugo Broos
Man of the Match: Ladislav Krejčí (Czech Republic)
Assistant referees: Kathryn Nesbitt (United States) Brooke Mayo (United States) Fourth official: Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh (New Zealand) Reserve assistant referee: Isaac Trevis (New Zealand) Video assistant referee: Tatiana Guzmán (Nicaragua) Assistant video assistant referee: Joe Dickerson (United States) Support video assistant referee: Mohammed Obaid Khadim (United Arab Emirates)
Mexico vs South Korea The sides have previously met 15 times including twice in the World Cup, with Mexico winning both matches: 3–1 in the 1998 tournament in France, and 2–1 in the 2018 edition in Russia. Their most recent meeting was a 2–2 draw in 2025.
In the 50th minute, South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu spilled the ball after a collision with his own player, Lee Gi-hyuk. The ball fell to Mexico's Luis Romo allowing him to hook it back into an empty net.
With the 1–0 win, Mexico became the first team to qualify for the newly introduced round of 32.
GK 1 Raúl RangelRB 2 Jorge SánchezCB 4 Edson Álvarez (c)CB 5 Johan VásquezLB 23Jesús GallardoDM 6 Érik LiraCM 26Brian Gutiérrez CM 7 Luis Romo RF 25Roberto Alvarado CF 9 Raúl Jiménez LF 16Julián Quiñones Substitutions:MF 17Orbelín Pineda MF 18Obed Vargas FW 11Santiago Giménez DF 15Israel Reyes FW 21César Huerta Manager:Javier Aguirre GK 1 Kim Seung-gyuCB 2 Lee Han-beomCB 4 Kim Min-jaeCB 3 Lee Gi-hyukRM 15Kim Moon-hwan CM 8 Paik Seung-ho CM 6 Hwang In-beomLM 22Seol Young-woo RF 19Lee Kang-in CF 7 Son Heung-min (c) LF 10Lee Jae-sung Substitutions:MF 11Hwang Hee-chan FW 18Oh Hyeon-gyu MF 25Eom Ji-sung MF 20Yang Hyun-jun FW 9 Cho Gue-sung Manager:Hong Myung-bo
Man of the Match: Luis Romo (Mexico)
Assistant referees: Carlos Barreiro (Uruguay) Nicolás Tarán (Uruguay) Fourth official: Andrés Rojas (Colombia) Reserve assistant referee: Alexander Guzmán (Colombia) Video assistant referee: Leodán González (Uruguay) Assistant video assistant referee: Antonio García (Uruguay) Support video assistant referee: Jérôme Brisard (France)
Czech Republic vs Mexico The teams only played each other once in 2000, a 2–1 win for the Czechs. Czechoslovakia played Mexico at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in a match in which Czechoslovakia scored after just 15 seconds, the second-fastest goal in World Cup history. However, Mexico came back to win 3–1. Their other two meetings saw both teams win once in friendlies.
By defeating the Czech Republic 3–0, Mexico won all three World Cup group stage matches for the first time in its history. This achievement left Mexico as the only co-host to secure a perfect group stage record, following Canada's 2–1 loss to Switzerland and the United States 3–2 defeat against Turkey. Additionally, they were one of only three teams in the tournament to achieve a perfect nine-point streak, alongside France and defending champions Argentina. Czechia were eliminated from the tournament after losing their second group game, and South Africa defeated South Korea to claim second place in the group.
Additionally, Guillermo Ochoa secured his sixth FIFA World Cup squad selection, joining Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal in achieving this historic milestone.