Czechia - South Africa: score, highlights and statistics

Czech Republic and South Africa meet on 18 June 2026 in a crucial Group A fixture at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta - a game that could define both nations' chances of advancing in the expanded 48-team World Cup.

Match Info: Czech Republic vs South Africa

The Czech Republic vs South Africa match kicks off on Thursday, 18 June 2026 at 17:00 BST (16:00 UTC) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The fixture is part of the Group A stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Where to Watch Czech Republic vs South Africa?

Viewers in the United States have the widest range of broadcast options for this match. On free-to-air television, FOX and Telemundo will carry the game live, while streaming audiences can tune in via FOX One, Foxsports.com, Fubo TV, Peacock, and Telemundo Deportes En Vivo. Spanish-language radio coverage is also available through Futbol de Primera Radio.

Fans in Australia can stream the game free of charge on SBS On Demand, and New Zealand audiences can watch on TVNZ+. Canada has TSN+ for online coverage, while Latin American fans in Argentina can choose between DIRECTV Sports Argentina on TV and DIRECTV GO online.

Across Europe, Czech supporters can watch domestically on ČT Sport Live, South African fans at home will have coverage on SABC, French viewers can stream via 6play and beIN SPORTS CONNECT F.R., Spanish audiences on DAZN España, and Italian fans on DAZN Italia. Brazil's online option is CazéTV, while Mexico has VIX.

Czech Republic vs South Africa - Match Preview

Czech Republic vs South Africa is a pivotal Group A encounter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: both teams are hunting points that could separate them from the bottom of a group that also includes co-host Mexico and South Korea.

The Czechs reached the tournament through a dramatic UEFA playoff run, drawing 2-2 with Denmark after extra time on 31 March 2026 before advancing 3-1 on penalties in the Path D final. It marks their 10th World Cup appearance and their first since Germany 2006. South Africa return to the tournament for the first time since 2010, when they became the first host nation in World Cup history to exit in the group stage. These are teams with something to prove on the grandest stage.

Playing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta - a venue with a capacity of 75,000 - both sides will be aware that a defeat in this second group game makes qualification significantly harder. The Czechs enter this fixture as the team in markedly better form, but South Africa, backed by a passionate African diaspora in the American South, are capable of producing an upset in what is, for them, a near-home atmosphere.

Head-to-Head: Czech Republic vs South Africa

The historical record between Czech Republic and South Africa is remarkably thin - these two nations have met just once in official competition, in a match that ended all square and offered no clear indication of who holds the upper hand.

The only official meeting between the two sides on record:

• 13 December 1997 - FIFA Confederations Cup - South Africa 2:2 Czech Republic

Czech Republic - Recent Form

Czech Republic arrive at the 2026 World Cup on the back of an unbeaten run of 5 matches: 3 wins and 2 draws, with 12 goals scored and only 4 conceded.

Their qualification story was written in March 2026. On 26 March, they drew 2-2 with the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA playoff semi-final, then on 31 March came the decisive moment: a 1-1 draw with Denmark after extra time, followed by a 3-1 penalty shootout victory that secured their place at the World Cup. Their final warm-up on 31 May was a confident 2-1 win over Kosovo.

Earlier in the qualifying cycle, the Czechs showed ruthless finishing - a 6-0 demolition of Gibraltar on 17 November 2025 was followed by a narrow but composed 1-0 win over San Marino on 13 November. The combination of clinical finishing and big-match resilience makes them a legitimate threat in Group A.

South Africa - Recent Form

South Africa head into the World Cup with mixed results, recording 1 win, 2 draws and 2 defeats in their last 5 matches, scoring 6 goals and conceding 7.

Their pre-tournament preparations were unconvincing. On 29 May 2026, they failed to beat Nicaragua, drawing 0-0 in a friendly, and they went winless across two matches against Panama in late March - a 1-1 draw on 27 March followed by a 1-2 defeat on 31 March. They arrive at the World Cup without a win in their last 3 matches.

More encouragingly, they ended 2025 on a high note, claiming a 3-2 away victory in Zimbabwe on 29 December. However, January 2026 brought a 1-2 AFCON defeat to Cameroon, halting that momentum. South Africa's challenge in Atlanta will be to rediscover the consistency and cutting edge that carried them through African qualifying.

Facts and Statistics

4 key facts about the Czech Republic vs South Africa rivalry at the 2026 World Cup:

• Czech Republic and South Africa have met just once in their entire history - a 2-2 draw at the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup.
• South Africa are appearing at the World Cup for the first time since 2010, when they became the only host nation in the tournament's history to be eliminated in the group stage.
• Czech Republic qualified via the UEFA playoff Path D, beating Denmark on penalties (3-1) on 31 March 2026 - their 10th World Cup appearance and their first since 2006.
• Czech Republic went unbeaten across their last 5 matches (W3 D2), scoring 12 goals, while South Africa won just 1 of their last 5 (W1 D2 L2).