Estadio Azteca · Mexico City
World Cup 2026
GROUP A
Mexico · South Africa · South Korea · Czechia
Mexico won Group A with 9 points and South Africa finished second; South Korea and Czechia went out.
Table
Standings
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1🇲🇽Mexico | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| 2🇿🇦South Africa | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| 3🇰🇷South Korea | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 4🇨🇿Czechia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 1 |
Profiles
The Four Teams
🇲🇽
Mexico
FIFA ranking #10 · Jul 20, 2026
Manager
Javier Aguirre
Key Player
Santiago Giménez
AC Milan
World Cup Pedigree
18 appearances · best: Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)
🇿🇦
South Africa
FIFA ranking #54 · Jul 20, 2026
Manager
Hugo Broos
Key Player
Ronwen Williams
Mamelodi Sundowns
World Cup Pedigree
4 appearances · best: Round of 32 (2026)
🇰🇷
South Korea
FIFA ranking #32 · Jul 20, 2026
Manager
Hong Myung-bo
Key Player
Son Heung-min
Los Angeles FC
World Cup Pedigree
12 appearances · best: Fourth place (2002)
🇨🇿
Czechia
FIFA ranking #48 · Jul 20, 2026
Manager
Miroslav Koubek
Key Player
Patrik Schick
Bayer Leverkusen
World Cup Pedigree
10 appearances · best: Runners-up (1934, 1962 as Czechoslovakia)
Schedule
Fixtures By Matchday
Editorial
Group Narrative
Mexico topped the group unbeaten, with 3 wins (6 scored, 0 conceded); South Africa took 4 points, South Korea 3 and Czechia 1.
In the knockouts, Mexico went out in the round of 16, beaten 3–2 by England; South Africa went out in the round of 32, beaten 1–0 by Canada.
The group's biggest win was Mexico's 3–0 over Czechia.
From The Journal
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