World Cup Group A preview: What are the odds Mexico goes undefeated?
World Cup 2026 Group A could well be one of the tournament’s most intriguing thanks in part to a truly global feel amongst the competing countries.
Co-hosts Mexico are carrying the weight of a nation, South Korea is Asia’s most consistent qualifier, Czechia is renowned for their grit and tournament pedigree, and South Africa are making their return to the big stage.
Three Group A games will take place on Mexican soil, with the opening match of the tournament between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 being played in Mexico City.
World Cup 2026 Group A odds and bets available at ToonieBet
A ball may not have even been kicked yet at the World Cup, but the sports betting markets are already suggesting a certain narrative.
Outright odds to win Group A
- Mexico are the favourites at -120
- Czechia +275
- South Korea +300
- South Africa are further out at +800
Outright odds to win the tournament
- Mexico +8000
- Czechia +30000
- South Korea +50000
- South Africa +100000
There could be value found by betting on either Czechia or South Korea to progress out of Group A.
Bet on World Cup 2026 Group A at ToonieBet
Getting your bets placed on Group A at ToonieBet is quick and simple:
- Register or log in – Download the ToonieBet app, register an account or log in.
- Navigate to World Cup 2026 – Head to the sportsbook, select World Cup. Group A markets are available here.
- Place your bets – Choose from markets such as Group Winner, To Qualify, Match Result, and more. Select your wager and confirm your bet.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A teams
Group A has four nations from four different confederations coming together to compete. Mexico (CONCACAF), South Korea (AFC), Czechia (UEFA) and South Africa (CAF) provide the group with genuine global flavour. Two teams will advance automatically, while a strong third-place finish could also be enough to move on.
Mexico
FIFA Ranking: 15 | Coach: Javier Aguirre | Qualified: Co-hosts (Automatic)
Mexico arrives as Group A’s headliner. El Tri will play all of their group matches on home soil, which is a huge advantage. Their previous best performances at a World Cup finals came in 1970 and 1986, where they made the quarterfinals on home turf.
Key players include central midfielder Edson Alvarez and veteran striker Raul Jimenez. Odds to advance are -1100.
South Korea
FIFA Ranking: 25 | Coach: Hong Myung-bo | Qualified: AFC third round Group B winners
South Korea is the only team from Asia to have gone unbeaten in qualifying. Their best-ever World Cup finish was on home soil in 2002 when they finished in fourth place.
Their star player remains Heung-min Son, who has scored 54 goals for the national team. Players like Bayern Munich central defender Kim-Min Jae and PSG’s Lee Kang-in are also important. Their odds to move on are -250.
Czechia
FIFA Ranking: 41 | Coach: Miroslav Koubek | Qualified: UEFA Path D Winners
Czechia makes its return to the World Cup for the first time since 2006. They earned their place at the tournament by defeating Denmark in a penalty shootout.
Their key threat is Patrik Schick, who stars for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. Forward Pavel Sulc enjoyed a breakout 2025-26 season and will be key to their efforts. Their odds of progressing are -275.
South Africa
FIFA Ranking: 60 | Coach: Hugo Broos | Qualified: CAF Group C Winners
South Africa makes its return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010. In their previous three tournament appearances, Bafana have failed to make it out of the group stage, so the hope is that this will change in 2026.
Key man Lyle Foster, who plays for Burnley, now in the English Championship, is their most dangerous player, possessing blistering pace that will strike fear into opposition backlines. Their odds of making the knockout stage +120.
Players to watch in Group A
Each team will be looking to their stars to flip the script when required, and here are the ones capable:
- Heung-min Son (South Korea) – There’s no better place to start than with South Korea’s captain. The attacker, who is now 33, has been performing well in MLS for LAFC, acting as more of a facilitator than a goalscorer this season. But he scored 10 times in World Cup qualifying. His overall record for South Korea is phenomenal, with 51 goals in 127 matches.
- Patrik Schick (Czechia) – The 30-year-old striker will lead the line for Czechia. He’s been in excellent form for Bayer Leverkusen this season, scoring 20 goals in 37 appearances. He also has 24 goals in 50 appearances for his country.
- Raul Jimenez (Mexico) – He may have recently turned 35, but the forward has been there and done it at the top level, scoring 34 times for Mexico. The Fulham man has also proven himself deadly from the penalty spot, which could come in handy at the World Cup.
- Lyle Foster (South Africa) – He has what all defences fear, pace. The Burnley forward, 25, will be key to South Africa’s chances of progressing out of Group A, and has scored nine goals in 26 games for his country so far.
- Pavel Sulc (Czechia) – It’s been a breakout season for the 25-year-old attacking midfielder, who jumped to Lyon and leads them with 11 goals in 28 matches. He’ll be a key player in Czechia’s attack.
Young talents and debutants in Group A
- Armando Gonzalez – A 23-year-old striker who plays for Chivas in Liga MX, could be Raul Jimenez’s eventual replacement. He has 24 goals this season, second in Liga MX.
- Pavel Sulc – The 25-year-old has enjoyed a breakout campaign in Ligue 1 and will be integral for Czechia.
- Hyeon-gyu Oh – Also 25, he’s been in great form for Turkey’s Besiktas since joining in the winter window and will be eager to take that into the World Cup. He scored four times in qualifying.
Group A qualification scenarios: Who goes through?
Mexico begin as firm favourites to top Group A. If they can defeat South Africa in their opening match, they’ll be on course to do just that. The real story will centre on who finishes second. Czechia and South Korea should battle it out, their match will be paramount.
The decisive match will be Mexico versus South Korea on June 18, as the winner is likely to progress, and the loser could be in trouble. South Africa will hope to pick up surprise points and see where it takes them. The most likely outcome is that Mexico winning the group, with Czechia and South Korea playing for second, with the loser hoping a third-place finish gets them through.
Potential Round of 32 matchups for Group A teams
Whichever nation tops Group A will face a third-place team from Group C, E, F, H or I, which will likely be a manageable task. The Group A runner-up will play the team that finishes second in Group B. If the third-placed team from Group A is one of the eight best, they will also advance.
Group A schedule and fixtures for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Group A matches will span June 11-24 across both Mexico and the United States. All the final round matches will kick-off at the same time.
Group A Round 1 matches
June 11 – Mexico vs. South Africa | Mexico City
The opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will see Mexico host South Africa in Mexico City. It’s sixteen years since they famously drew 1-1 in Johannesburg, with El Tri starting as favourites to win at -217. The draw is +325, while a South Africa victory is +566.
June 11 – South Korea vs. the Czechia | Guadalajara
This will arguably be the most decisive match in Group A. Both teams are evenly matched, and they’re both expected to be battling to finish in second place. A South Korea win is +157, the draw is +233, and a victory for Czechia is +162.
Group A Round 2 matches
June 18 – Czechia vs. South Africa | Atlanta
By this point, a must-win situation is likely brewing. Czechia, like Mexico and South Korea, will feel they have to defeat South Africa at all costs.
June 18 – Mexico vs. South Korea | Guadalajara
This could be the defining match in Group A in terms of who tops the group. Mexico will hope it’s them on home soil. But Son and South Korea will still be in the mix.
Group A Round 3 matches
June 24 – Czechia vs. Mexico | Mexico City
June 24 – South Africa vs. South Korea | Monterrey
The final Group A matches will be played at the same time in Mexico. If there are still things to sort out, expect maximum drama as things unfold.
Last 5 matches for Group A teams
Mexico: Beat Australia 1-0, Ghana 2-0, drew 1-1 with Belgium and 0-0 with Portugal, beat Iceland 4-0 (all friendlies).
South Korea: Beat Trinidad and Tobago 5-0,Lost 1-0 to Austria and 4-0 to the Ivory Coast, beat Ghana 1-0, Bolivia 2-0 (all friendlies).
Czechia: Beat Kosovo 2-1 (friendly), defeated Denmark and the Republic of Ireland on penalties and Gibraltar 6-0 World Cup Qualification). Beat San Marino 1-0 (friendly).
South Africa: Drew 0-0 with Nicaragua, lost to Panama 2-1 and tied Panama 1-1 (friendlies). Lost to Cameroon 1-0 and Zimbabwe 3-2 (Africa Cup of Nations).
Head-to-Head history: Group A
Mexico vs. South Africa: Four meetings in total (2-1-1), with the last being a 1-1 draw at the 2010 World Cup.
Mexico vs. South Korea: Have met 14 times (8-2-4), most recently a 2-2 friendly in September 2025.
Mexico vs. Czechia: One modern-day meeting, a 2-1 win for Czechia in 2000.
South Korea vs. Czechia: Met three times, most recently in 2016, a 2-1 friendly win.
South Korea vs. South Africa: Have never met.
Czechia vs. South Africa: One meeting in the 1997 Confederations Cup, a 2-2 draw.
Group A thrillers: Matches we’ll never forget
South Africa vs. Mexico, 2010 World Cup – A thunderous opener from Siphiwe Tshabalala for the hosts remains an iconic World Cup moment. The game ended 1-1.
South Korea vs. Germany, 2018 World Cup – Already eliminated from the tournament, South Korea beat the defending world champions 2-0 to send them home in disgrace.
Qualification analysis: The “Best 3rd Place” factor
The expanded format of the 2026 World Cup means that the eight best third-place teams will also advance to the Round of 32, alongside the teams that finish first and second in their groups. If South Korea, for example, finished on four points, they could progress. It means winning on Matchday 1 is vital.
FAQs for World Cup Group A
1 Which teams are in Group A?
Mexico, South Korea, Czechia and South Africa.
2 Which team is the favourite to win Group A?
Mexico are the current favourites to win Group A.
3 Who are the players to watch in Group A?
Heung-min Son (South Korea), Patrik Schick (Czechia), Raul Jimenez (Mexico) and Lyle Foster (South Africa).
4 When will Group A fixtures begin?
Group A matches will start on Thursday, June 11 at 3:00 p.m. ET when Mexico and South Africa open the tournament.
5 Where does World Cup Group A play?
World Cup 2026 Group A matches will be played in Mexico and the United States.
6 How many teams advance from Group A?
The teams that finish first and second in Group A will automatically advance. A third-place finish is also a possible route into the next round.
7 Who is the highest FIFA-ranked team in Group A?
The highest FIFA-ranked team in Group A is Mexico at No. 15.
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