South KoreavsCzechia

South Korea edged Czechia 2–1. Goalscorers — South Korea: Hwang In-Beom 67', Oh Hyeon-Gyu 80'; Czechia: L. Krejci 59'.

South Korea met Czechia in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Guadalajara Stadium in Guadalajara on Friday, June 12, 2026. It is one of the six matches in Group A, where the four sides each play three games and the top two advance directly to the Round of 32. With the eight best third-placed teams across the 12 groups also progressing, points here carry real weight from the opening whistle.

South Korea go in ranked 25th in the FIFA World Ranking to Czechia's 41st — a gap of 16 places that gives South Korea the edge on paper. It is an inter-confederation meeting — South Korea of AFC against Czechia of UEFA — the kind of contrast in styles the World Cup exists to stage.

South Korea enter the 2026 World Cup with a proud tradition of Asian football excellence and a burning desire to recapture the magic of their remarkable 2002 run to the semifinals. The Taegeuk Warriors have qualified for every World Cup since 1986, demonstrating a consistency that few Asian nations can match.

Czechia, formerly the Czech Republic, have a rich footballing heritage that includes reaching the Euro 1996 final and winning Euro 1976 as Czechoslovakia. The Narodni tym possess a strong tradition of producing technically gifted, intelligent players and playing organized, tactical football.

South Korea: South Korea's greatest World Cup moment came in 2002 as co-hosts, when they reached the semifinals under Guus Hiddink, defeating Spain and Italy along the way before losing to Germany. Czechia: As Czechoslovakia, the nation reached the World Cup final twice, in 1934 and 1962.

The match is scheduled at Guadalajara Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. Kickoff is scheduled for Friday, June 12, 2026 at 02:00 AM (10:00 PM ET).