Who will kick off the World Cup with a win? Preview and prediction for South Korea vs Czech Republic
The grand 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico is just around the corner! The opening round of the group stage brings us an electrifying and strategically crucial clash in Group A. On Friday, June 12, 2026, at 04:00 Kyiv time, the magnificent Estadio Guadalajara (also known as Estadio Akron) will host a showdown between South Korea and the Czech Republic.
Both teams have landed in a fiercely competitive Group A alongside tournament hosts Mexico and the ever-resilient South Africa. In an environment of fierce rivalry, this head-to-head on Mexican soil is a true moment of truth. The winner will take a giant leap toward the playoffs.
These teams have never faced each other in official competition. Their only previous meeting was a friendly in June 2016, when the Koreans triumphed 2-1 in Prague. Now, we’re set for a classic clash of football philosophies in Guadalajara, where victory will go to the side that handles the opening nerves best.
South Korea
The Koreans delivered a phenomenal qualifying campaign in Asia. For the first time since 2010, the national team went undefeated in World Cup qualifying, racking up 11 wins in 16 matches and a staggering 40 goals. The "Asian Tigers" arrived in Mexico well in advance, held a full-scale high-altitude training camp in May, and are fully acclimatized to the local conditions. The team is at peak physical condition and ready to unleash their trademark suffocating press from the opening whistle.
Korea will line up in a flexible 3-4-2-1 system. Their main weapons are the blistering pace of wing-backs Seol Young-woo and Lee Tae-seok, and lightning-fast transitions from defense to attack through the central axis, orchestrated by Feyenoord’s midfield maestro Hwang In-beom. Korea will look to ramp up the tempo, force the physically imposing Czech defenders to turn and chase toward their own goal, and capitalize on positional mistakes.
Legendary captain Son Heung-min leads Korea into what is likely his final World Cup. Son will operate either as a "false nine" or drift in from the left flank to strike. He’ll be supported by the explosive Hwang Hee-chan from Wolverhampton and PSG’s young prodigy Lee Kang-in, this season’s Champions League winner. The Czech defense, marshaled by goalkeeper Matěj Kovář, will need to be at 200% concentration.
Czech Republic
The Czech national team returns to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2006, igniting a footballing frenzy back home. The road for Miroslav Koubek’s squad (who replaced Ivan Hašek) was anything but easy: they finished second in their qualifying group, conceding only 12 goals, and clinched their ticket through dramatic March playoff ties, winning back-to-back penalty shootouts against Ireland and Denmark. The Czechs are unbeaten in their last six matches, battle-hardened to the core, but a gruelling spring campaign could take its toll as the tournament goes on.
Miroslav Koubek knows full well that trying to outrun the Koreans in the Mexican heat would be suicidal. The Czechs will set up in a disciplined, deep-lying 4-2-3-1 with a focus on total control of their penalty area. Defenders Robert Hranáč and Ladislav Krejčí will man-mark Korea’s attacking stars. The Czechs’ main bet is on set pieces and long balls, where their aerial dominance is undeniable.
It’s essential to highlight Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick, who just had a sensational 2025/26 club season, netting 22 goals in all competitions. He’s in outstanding mental form. His duel with one of the world’s best defenders, Bayern’s Min-jae Kim, will be one of the match’s main attractions. Whoever wins this physical battle in the air and on the ground could well decide the outcome. In midfield, West Ham’s Tomáš Souček will anchor the Czechs, tasked with locking down the holding zone.
Probable lineups
- South Korea: Seung-gyu - Lee H., Min-jae, Tae-hyeon Kim - Young-woo Seol, In-beom, Lee J., Lee T. - Lee K., Hee-chan, Heung-min
- Czech Republic: Kovář - Chaloupek, Hranáč, Krejčí - Coufal, Souček, Darida, Jurásek - Šulc, Provod, Schick
Where's the smart money?
Bookmakers offer almost even odds, giving South Korea only a slight symbolic edge. On the Guadalajara pitch, psychology and tactical discipline will take center stage.
Historically, World Cup openers are chess matches. The Czech Republic will deliberately slow the tempo and close down open spaces, denying Son the room to burst forward. The Koreans, well aware of Schick’s threat, won’t commit too many players forward to avoid giving away silly fouls near their own box. Expect a game decided by a single moment of brilliance or a costly mistake. My prediction: Under 2.5 total goals.
