The Czech Republic has claimed the final spot in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America, joining South Korea (FIFA ranking 25th). Korea will face Mexico, South Africa, and the Czech Republic in the group stage. With the Czech Republic advancing instead of the previously expected Denmark, a major overhaul of head coach Hong Myung-bo's World Cup group-stage strategy is now unavoidable.
The Czech Republic secured their finals berth on May 31 (local time) by beating Denmark 3-1 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw through regulation in the UEFA playoff Path D final. Korea had been setting its strategy with Denmark as the likely opponent, making a new tailored game plan necessary.
Czech Republic: Strong Team Cohesion Earns World Cup Spot After 20 Years
