Czechia and South Africa meet in Atlanta on Thursday knowing their 2026 World Cup hopes already hang in the balance after opening defeats in Group A, setting up a high-pressure clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Both sides arrive under immediate scrutiny after disappointing starts in North America, with zero points from one match leaving little margin for error in a group that is already beginning to take shape.
Czechia, back on football’s biggest stage for just the second time as an independent nation, saw their return unravel late in a 2-1 defeat to South Korea. Miroslav Koubek’s side had taken control in the second half when Ladislav Krejci rose to head in Vladimir Coufal’s long throw in the 59th minute, briefly putting them on course for a positive start.
But the lead did not last. Hwang In-beom quickly restored parity for South Korea, before the match slipped away from the Europeans. A Tomas Soucek effort was disallowed in a key moment, and Oh Hyeon-gyu struck in the 80th minute to complete the turnaround and leave Czechia empty-handed.
The defeat ended a six-match unbeaten run that had included four wins in normal time and two penalty shootout victories during qualifying. It also highlighted a growing defensive concern, with Czechia now without a clean sheet in their last five matches.
