World Cup 2026: Group A Preview

The time has finally arrived, after four years of anticipation and hype, the 2026 FIFA  World Cup is finally here and we're kicking off our coverage here at Metro Philadelphia and Philly Sports Network with a preview of Group A, which features multiple previous hosts of the tournament, one team that has been to the final before, and one of the three host nations for this year's edition of the biggest sporting event in the world.

North America 2026: Group A Preview

Mexico, Czechia, South Africa, and the Republic of Korea are the four teams that make up the opening group of this year's FIFA World Cup, and it's set to be one of the closest contested groups in the tournament, with just a mere 45 World Ranking spots separating all four teams from each other.  

Mexico will be looking to top the group with the backing of their home fans as one of the three host nations, while South Africa will be looking to replicate the magic of 2010, when they hosted the tournament and captured the hearts of football fans around the world. Czechia are back in the World Cup for the first time in 20 years, while the Korea Republic are looking to build on their successful 2022 tournament, when they reached the knockout stages. 

The FIFA World Cup trophy at the FIFA World Cup 26 Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola at The Coke Studio at LA Live.

Kirby Lee

Czechia

Czechia head into the 2026 World Cup after a 20-year absence and will be looking to reach the heights they once had with this new generation of players. They struggled through the group stages of qualifications; however, they fought bravely against a great Denmark side to win on penalties in their qualification playoff. 

Manager Miroslav Koubek will officially become the oldest ever manager in World Cup history when he takes charge of their opening group stage game against the Korea Republic, and he'll be reliant on the attacking partnership of young playmaker Lyon's Pavel Sulc and their ever-present target man upfront, Bayer Leverkusen's Patrik Schick.  

Czechia hasn't got a squad full of top-tier talent, but they have reached the tournament on the back of serious hard work and fighting spirit, and they'll be hoping that's enough to take one of the top two spots, most likely 2nd, in this group and qualify for the knockout stages, which would be one better than what the 2006 side could achieve. 

Kosovo's Ilir Krasniqi in action with Czech Republic's Mojm

Eva Korinkova

Mexico

Mexico heads into the 2026 tournament looking to become the next host nation to use home-field advantage and go on a dream run in front of their own fans, just like their group opponents, South Africa, did in 2010. They'll also be looking to improve on their last World Cup in 2022, when they struggled in their group and finished 3rd, being knocked out. 

Their captain, Edson Alvarez, will be a key player for them, and in the system they play, with him playing as their lone defensive midfielder, while Raul Jimenez will be looking to have a great World Cup in what will be his last one for Mexico, and to put the disappointment of 2022 behind him.  

The most interesting player to watch for Mexico will be 17-year-old wonderkid Gilberto  Mora, who has been taking the Liga MX by storm for Tijuana. He has everything you want in an attacking midfielder, and I really hope Javier Aguirre gives him a good shot in this tournament to showcase his talent. 

Mexico right midfielder Orbelin (17) and Australia left wing back Jordan Bos (5) battle for the ball in the first half at Rose Bowl Stadium.

Kirby Lee

South Africa 

South Africa will finally return to the world's biggest stage for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010. South Africa, during their hosting of the tournament, captured the hearts of football fans around the world, from their eccentric fans to their massive upset of France, and who could ever forget Siphiwe Tshabalala's goal to open the 2010 World Cup against fellow Group A opponents Mexico. 

South Africa will be hoping to one-up their 2010 performance and finally qualify for the knockout stages at the World Cup, but they'll have a fight on their hands as the underdogs of the group. Lyle Foster, who plays his club football at Burnley in England, will have the hopes of his nation on his shoulders as he leads the line.

Olwethu Makhanya made the final squad for the World Cup after a fantastic 18 months with Philadelphia Union, and he'll be hoping to see the field during the tournament. One name to watch in this squad is 21-year-old Orlando Pirates star Relebohile Mofokeng, who is a star in the South African league. He'll start out on the right wing for his nation and has all the skill and flair you'd ever want to see from a winger. 

South Africa's Relebohile Mofokeng in action

Siphiwe Sibeko

Korea Republic

The Republic of Korea heads into their 12th appearance at the World Cup, and their 11th consecutive World Cup, hoping that this will be the tournament that finally sees the  Asian side really push on to the final 8 or better in the knockout stages. 2022 was a good tournament for the Republic of Korea, as they finished 2nd in a difficult group before falling to Brazil 4-1 in the round of 16. 

Korean football, and Asian football in general, has been steadily improving over the years, with many Korean talents coming through and finding their way into the top levels of European football and its academies.  

Son Heung-min will be looking to lead his nation into this tournament, and he'll have some very good support players alongside him, like Lee Kang-in of Champions League winners PSG, Jens Castrop of Borussia Monchengladbach, and Kim Min-jae of Bayern  Munich holding the line as their star center back. 

The Republic of Korea has managed to develop considerable depth in its squad with the likes of Oh Hyeon-gyu, Eom Ji-sung, Bae Jun-ho, and, someone very close to my heart as a huge Birmingham City fan, midfielder Paik Seung-ho. With their star players covering each area of the pitch and the depth options I just mentioned, the Korea Republic will be pushing to win the group and shock quite a few fans around the globe, advancing deep into the tournament's knockout stages. 

South Korea's Cho Yu-min celebrates with a flag after the match as South Korea qualify for the knockout stages

Fabrizio Bensch

Group A kicks off on June 11

I think this will be one of the more interesting groups of the tournament, and we get to enjoy everything it offers on opening night. Each team can make a case for getting out of the group, and while South Africa faces the hardest challenge, they're a capable side and could take advantage of the lack of a true footballing giant in the group.

In my opinion, the Republic of Korea will win the group, with Mexico taking 2nd. I think the Republic of Korea could go very far in the tournament and be one of the surprises of the  World Cup. While Czechia and South Africa have their potential, I think Mexico will just edge it from an established talent advantage in their squad, and having their home fans on their side will push them ahead of the others. 

Matchday 1:

Matchday 2: 

 Matchday 3: 

For more reading on the World Cup, check out our other previews:

Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D

Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H

Group I | Group J | Group K | Group L