Kickoff time, TV, venue, trivia, star players, tactics, match officials and moreJune 17, 2026 at 3:01 pmTeboho Mokoena controls the ball during a Bafana Bafana training session at Estadio Hidalgo in Pachuca, Mexico, last week. (Oscar Fuentes/Jam Media/Getty Images) Bafana Bafana meet Czechia in their second 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A game at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia, US on Thursday. The South Africans lost the opening match of the tournament 2-0 against co-hosts Mexico at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City last week. Here is everything you need to know about Bafana v Czechia:Kickoff: 12pm in Atlanta, 6pm SA time Venue: Atlanta Stadium, also known as Mercedes Benz Stadium, in Atlanta Georgia Stadium capacity: 71,000 Type of stadium: A retractable roof multi-purpose stadium Has the roof been closed for 2026 World Cup matches?: Yes. The roof has been kept shut to protect the specially imported grass surface from Atlanta’s intense mid-summer heat and humidity. This also protects the players from those elements. Rain is forecast for the next two days in Atlanta, but with the roof close this will not be a factor in the match and nor will the heat. The stadium is home to: American football NFL team the Atlanta Falcons and MLS soccer side Atlanta United FC On TV: Televised on SuperSport Grandstand (DStv 201), SuperSport PSL (202), SABC 1, SABC3, SABC Sport and streamed on SABC+ Match officials: Head referee: Tori Penso (US); assistant referee 1: Brooke Mayo (US); assistant referee 2: Kathryn Nesbitt (US); fourth official: Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh (New Zealand) Interesting about the referee: Penso will become the second women to take charge of a men’s World Cup match. France’s Stéphanie Frappart, who blew a Germany-Costa Rica group stage match in Qatar in 2022 was the first. Major fact about the match officials: Mayo and Nesbitt are also female, meaning the trio will make history as the first all-women and first all-American team to take charge of a men’s World Cup match. Also interesting: The trio took charge of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Sydney, where Spain beat England 1-0. Head-to-head record: The two teams have only met once, in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup in Saudia Arabia, where Clive Barker’s South Africa drew 2-2 against the Czechs in a group game.Who to watch in Czechia’s ranks: As per Mahlatse Mphahlele, TimesLIVE’s senior football reporters in Atlanta on Czechia’s key players. DEFENDERS: Ladislav Krejčí (Wolverhampton Wanderers) — scored their opening goal in the defeat to South Korea, but his primary role is in the heart of the defence, where duels in the air with his physicality. Vladimír Coufal (TSG Hoffenheim) — provided the throw-in assist for Krejčí‘s goal against Korea. Known for his long throws, which are a weapon for his team. A reliable right-back who delivers quality crosses. MIDFIELDERS: Tomáš Souček (West Ham) — an integral member of the Czech midfield. Playing style includes aerial strength and tactical discipline. Scores crucial goals. STRIKERS: Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen) - tall, physically imposing; Czechia’s old-fashioned No 9 and the focal point of their attack. Adam Hložek (TSG Hoffenheim) - the 23-year-old is a versatile attacker known for his physical strength, creative ball-carrying and clinical finishing. Czechia’s tactics: (with the assistance of Google AI) Czechia’s tactics under 74-year-old manager Miroslav Koubek focus heavily on defensive rigidity, an intense physical presence and lethal set-piece execution. The team sets up in a 3-4-2-1 system (sometimes transitioning into a 3-4-3 or a low-block 5-4-1). They have conservative wingbacks: Vladimír Coufal and Jaroslav Zelený do push up, but mostly they tuck in tightly to prioritise defence. In midfield, defensive cover is provided by Souček, a tireless box-to-box destroyer and additional aerial target. In attack: Czechia are masters of set piece situations. Creative responsibilities lie almost entirely on Pavel Šulc and Lukáš Provod, operating behind the main striker. Who to watch out for in in Bafana’s ranks: As per Mahlatse Mphahlele, SA’s five key players. GOALKEEPER: Ronwen Williams — The Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper remains key for SA’s World Cup ambitions. There have been questions over recent form, but he pulled off some stunning saves against Mexico. DEFENDER: Mbekezeli Mbokazi — the centreback is not the tallest in the team and he and his defence must guard against the aerial threat from Czechia. MIDFIELDERS: Teboho Mokoena — The central midfielder helped Sundowns win the 2025-26 Caf Champions League and that big-match temperament will be vital in his in their midfield battle against Souček. Oswin Appollis — The Orlando Pirates winger was left out of the starting line-up against Mexico but was lively when he came on in the closing stages. Bafana need someone like him to run at Czechia. STRIKER: Iqraam Rayners — Bafana coach Hugo Broos usually prefers Lyle Foster but the Burnley attacker has been under pressure from South African supporters. Maybe he should consider starting with Rayners. Bafana’s tactics: Hugo Broos controversially changed things around to a 3-5-2 against Mexico. He played three centrebacks (Mbokazi, Nosinathi Sibisi, Ime Okon); fullbacks Khuliso Mudau and Aubrey Modiba became wingbacks and Broos forsook outright wingers. The three-man midfield (Mokoena, Jayden Adams, Sphephelo Sithole) was meant to provide muscle but Sithole had a nightmare. Unusually, Broos had two strikers in Iqraam Rayners and Lyle Foster but they didn’t get the service. Calls have come for the coach to go back to the 4-2-3-1 that was effective in the qualifiers. Wingers like Appollis and either Thapelo Maseko or Tshepang Moremi would come into the equation and Relebohile Mofokeng could start at playmaker. World Cup group: Group A How Czechia started: They lost 2-1 to South Korea in Monterrey, Mexico How Bafana started: They lost 2-0 to Mexico at Estadio Azteca Rankings of the teams in Group A: Mexico — 15; South Korea — 25; Czechia — 41; South Africa — 60Thursday’s other Group A game: Mexico v South Korea, Estadio Guadalajara (7pm in Mexico, 3am on Friday SA time) Bafana’s last group game: June 24 against South Korea, Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico (7pm Mexico time, 3am on June 25 SA time) How teams progress to the last 32 and knockouts: Finish in the top two in the group or among the eight best third-placed finishers from the 12 groups. 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