World Cup 2026 Picks: Group A Winner Prediction, Schedule & Team Previews
The world’s biggest sporting event is just weeks away from getting started, with the eyes of the globe set to be locked on North America for a summer festival of soccer. Mexico will be one of three co-hosts, and they will have the honor of kicking off this year’s FIFA World Cup. But, will the nation top the Group A standings? Find our team previews, and our Group A winner picks here.
World Cup 2026: Group A Odds
| Group A Team | To Win Group A Odds | To Qualify Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | -105 | -970 |
| Czech Republic | +275 | -328 |
| South Korea | +300 | -252 |
| South Africa | +1200 | +121 |
Group A World Cup Schedule
Matchday 1
- Mexico vs. South Africa (June 11)
- South Korea vs. Czech Republic (June 11)
Matchday 2
- Czech Republic vs. South Africa (June 18)
- Mexico vs. South Korea (June 18)
Matchday 3
- Czech Republic vs. Mexico (June 24)
- South Africa vs. South Korea (June 24)
Group A: Meet The Teams
Mexico
- Manager: Javier Aguirre
- Odds to Win World Cup: +8000
- Best World Cup Performance: Quarterfinals (1970, 1986)
- Key Player: Edson Alvarez
As one of the three World Cup hosts, Mexico will be under pressure to perform to a high standard this summer, making it unsurprising that they are favored to win Group A.
Their recent form should also be respected, as Mexico have avoided defeat in all six internationals in 2026, which includes standout draws against highly-ranked opponents Portugal and Belgium.
Scoring goals against the very best teams in the competition may be an issue, but they will not face any high-ranked team in the group stage. Defensively, they have also been strong this calendar year, keeping clean sheets in five of their six fixtures.
Czech Republic
- Manager: Miroslav Koubek
- Odds to Win World Cup: +25000
- Best World Cup Performance: Runners-Up (1934, 1962)
- Key Player: Patrik Schick
The Czech Republic are a very interesting outsider to win Group A, and the European nation should be respected when making picks.
The nation will be back at the World Cup for the first time since 2006, and their qualification was somewhat of a shock after overcoming Ireland and Denmark in the playoffs. Tournament experience is a big plus, as they have reached the quarterfinals in two of the last four editions of the EUROs.
Patrik Schick has enjoyed an excellent season for Bayer Leverkusen, netting 16 goals in 28 games. The prolific striker could be the standout scorer in Group A, and his goals may be enough to secure second spot.
South Korea
- Manager: Hong Myung-Bo
- Odds to Win World Cup: +35000
- Best World Cup Performance: Semi-finals (2002)
- Key Player: Heung Min Son
South Korea have been a fairly popular pick to finish second in the Group A standings. The Asian nation have been regulars at the World Cup, with their best showing coming in their home 2002 tournament, finishing fourth.
However, they would be one of the nations I would be pretty happy to overlook this summer. Their recent defensive record is poor, allowing five goals in defeats against Ivory Coast and Austria, and their offensive players have looked out of sorts after going two without a goal.
All of the pressure will be on Heung Min Son, but the LAFC star isn’t getting any younger, and his performances in the MLS this season have been flat, failing to score in 13 appearances.
South Africa
- Manager: Hugo Broos
- Odds to Win World Cup: +1000000
- Best World Cup Performance: Group Stage (1998, 2002, 2010)
- Key Player: Lyle Foster
This summer sees the welcome return to the World Cup for South Africa, with the nation earning qualification for the first time since hosting the event in 2010. However, reaching the finals was an achievement in itself, and their form has dipped sharply since.
A round of 16 exit in the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of the year shows their limitations, while they have since failed to win in successive fixtures against Panama.
Defensively, they have looked weak, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last six, while they have also scored no more than one goal in their three internationals in 2026.
World Cup 2026 Picks: Who Will Win Group A?
Mexico will be expected to reach the knockout stage, but they could fall short in their goal to win Group A. The fixtures are most kind for the Czech Republic, with their toughest clash coming on MD3 against Mexico. The European nation excels defensively, and their ability to convert chances is a big strength.
