The Czechs are back at a World Cup for the first time since 2006, ending a 20-year wait in the most dramatic way possible. Under 74-year-old head coach Miroslav Koubek, the oldest manager in the field, Czechia survived a wobbly qualifying campaign and two penalty shootouts in the playoffs to reach the finals. Talisman Patrik Schick of Bayer Leverkusen leads the attack, captain Ladislav Krejci anchors the defence, and West Ham's Tomas Soucek drives the midfield. Drawn into Group A with host nation Mexico, South Korea and South Africa, this is the squad, the qualification story, the fixtures and how far the Czechs can go.
Czechia are physical, well-organised and built around a Slavia Prague core with a handful of high-level performers in Europe's biggest leagues. These are the names the campaign turns on.
The star. The Bayer Leverkusen striker is Czechia's main goal threat, a tall, technically gifted finisher with more than 20 international goals. He was joint top scorer at Euro 2020, where his halfway-line strike against Scotland became one of the tournament's defining moments.
The leader. A commanding centre-back who plays his club football for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, Krejci wears the armband and is comfortable bringing the ball out of defence. He is the calm head at the back the Czechs will lean on against Mexico.
The powerhouse. The West Ham United midfielder is the most experienced outfield player in the squad, a tall, box-to-box presence who is a constant threat from set pieces. His running and aerial power give Czechia a real edge in both penalty areas.
The warrior. A combative, hugely experienced right-back, Coufal brings energy, tactical discipline and a tournament-hardened edge to the back line. His understanding with Soucek, his long-time international colleague, is a feature of the side.
The livewire. A versatile, quick forward who can play across the front line, Hlozek offers Czechia pace and movement to complement Schick's aerial threat. Still young, he is among the players capable of producing a decisive moment.
The steady hand. At 74 the oldest coach in the tournament, the vastly experienced Koubek took over in December 2025 and immediately steadied the ship, guiding Czechia through two playoff shootouts to the finals. A lifetime in Czech football, now on the biggest stage.
Miroslav Koubek trimmed an initial selection to a 26 built heavily on the Slavia Prague spine, with Patrik Schick and Tomas Soucek the standout names abroad. Below are the confirmed key players by position; club listings can shift over the summer window.
This is a list of the confirmed key names rather than the entire 26. Koubek leaned heavily on the spine of Slavia Prague, with Schick at Bayer Leverkusen and Soucek at West Ham the two most prominent players based abroad. The final squad also included a number of young domestic talents, among them the 17-year-old who became one of the youngest players ever named in a Czech World Cup squad. Club listings can change over the summer window.
Three threads define Czechia's 2026 campaign: a 20-year wait, a chaotic road to qualification, and a new man in charge.
The drought ends. Czechia had not reached a World Cup since 2006, despite a strong record at the European Championship, including the Euro 2020 quarter-finals. Reaching 2026 ends the longest World Cup absence the country has known.
The nerve test. After a qualifying group that included a stunning loss to the Faroe Islands, Czechia finished behind Croatia and went to the playoffs. They beat the Republic of Ireland and then Denmark, both on penalties, to seal the place.
The turnaround. With qualification in the balance, the federation turned to veteran coach Miroslav Koubek in December 2025. His calm, pragmatic approach got the best out of a physical squad and carried them through the playoff drama.
Czechia were drawn into Group A with host nation Mexico, South Korea and South Africa. Mexico are the seeds and clear favourites with home advantage, so Czechia's realistic target is to compete with South Korea and South Africa for the places behind them. They play in Guadalajara and Mexico City either side of a trip to Atlanta.
The opener against South Korea is the match Czechia will view as pivotal, with the meeting with South Africa another finely balanced contest before the daunting finish against host Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. For the full picture of all 104 games, see the WorldCuply.com match schedule, read our full Group A guide, and the guides to rivals Mexico, South Korea and South Africa.
Czechia are not among the tournament favourites, but they are a tough, streetwise side with a route to the knockouts:
Mexico are favourites to top the group, but the games against South Korea and South Africa are there to be won. If Czechia can take points from both, a first World Cup knockout appearance since the country split would be a fitting reward for ending a 20-year wait.
Czechia are one of 48 nations heading to the 2026 World Cup. Explore the rest of the WorldCuply.com guide:
The full Group A picture: host Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Czechia, with fixtures, venues and a prediction.
Read the Group A guide ›Czechia's Group A opponents and the host nation, opening the tournament at the Estadio Azteca.
Read the Mexico guide ›Czechia's matchday-one opponents, Son Heung-min and a Europe-based core in Group A.
Read the South Korea guide ›All 104 fixtures across 16 host cities, with kickoff times you can filter to your team.
Open the schedule ›This guide was hand-written from the following reporting and reference pages, used to confirm Czechia's squad, coach, qualification, group and fixtures:
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