South Korea vs Czechia lineups confirmed for World Cup 2026 Group A on June 11 at Estadio Akron, Guadalajara. Son Heung-min leads Korea, Patrik Schick leads Czechia. Full preview and prediction.
Published: June 12, 2026 | Author: Hemim SK
The FIFA World Cup 2026 continues tonight. After Mexico’s dramatic 2-0 opening win over South Africa at the Estadio Azteca — featuring three red cards and Raul Jimenez’s emotional goal for his late father — the second match of Day 1 kicks off at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara at 10pm ET.
South Korea face Czechia in Group A — and the result of this match will immediately shape the early standings in one of the more competitive groups of the tournament. With Mexico already on three points, the loser of this match faces an immediate must-win situation in their next fixture.
The lineups are in. The teams are ready. Here is everything you need to know before kickoff.
South Korea vs Czechia — Match Facts
Date: Thursday June 11 / Friday June 12 early hours, 2026
Kickoff: 10pm ET / 3am BST (June 12) / 11am KST (June 12) / 4am CET (June 12)
Venue: Estadio Akron, Guadalajara (Zapopan), Mexico
Group: A
TV USA: Fox / Telemundo / Fubo
TV UK: BBC One / BBC iPlayer
TV South Korea: MBC, KBS, SBS
TV Czech Republic: CT Sport
South Korea Confirmed Lineups
South Korea Starting XI
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Seung-Gyu Kim
Defence (back four):
Han-beom Lee (right back)
Kim Min-jae (centre back)
Kim Tae-hyeon (centre back)
Young-woo Seol (left back)
Tae-seok Lee (right back / wing back)
Midfield (three):
Hwang In-beom
Lee Jae-Sung
Lee Kang-in
Attack (two forwards):
Heung-Min Son (captain)
Hwang Hee-chan
Czechia Starting XI
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Goalkeeper: Matej Kovar
Defence (back four):
Vladimir Coufal (right back)
Robin Hranac (centre back)
Stepan Chaloupek (centre back)
Ladislav Krejci (left back)
Midfield (four):
Vladimir Darida
David Jurasek
Tomas Soucek
Vladimir Coufal (overlapping)
Attacking three behind striker:
Pavel Sulc
Lukas Provod
Tomas Soucek
Striker:
Patrik Schick
Team News and Key Absences
South Korea
Son Heung-min starts as captain and joint striker alongside Hwang Hee-chan — the Wolverhampton Wanderers forward who has been in strong domestic form. Lee Kang-in — Paris Saint-Germain’s Korean playmaker — starts in midfield and is expected to be the creative hub linking defence and attack. Kim Min-jae brings Champions League-level defensive quality from Bayern Munich as the anchor of the back four.
Czechia
Patrik Schick leads the attack as expected — the Bayer Leverkusen striker is Czechia’s most dangerous player and their biggest goalscoring threat throughout the tournament. Tomas Soucek brings his physicality and goalscoring ability from midfield — he has been one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League for West Ham over the last three seasons. Matej Kovar — Bayer Leverkusen’s goalkeeper — starts in goal ahead of Jiri Pavlenka.
Match Preview — The Key Battles
South Korea’s pressing system vs Czechia’s technical build-up
South Korea under their manager play one of the most coordinated pressing systems in Asian football. The moment they lose the ball they immediately press in organised units — Hwang In-beom leads the first press in midfield, Lee Jae-Sung covers the second line and Son and Hwang Hee-chan press the opposition’s defensive line from the front.
Czechia’s strength is their technical build-up from the back. Matej Kovar is comfortable with the ball at his feet. Soucek and Coufal look to play out from pressure rather than go long. This direct confrontation between South Korea’s press and Czechia’s technical build-up is the central tactical battle of the match. If South Korea can force errors through their press the match opens up in their favour. If Czechia can play through the press with their technical quality the game becomes more comfortable for the Czech midfield.
Son Heung-min vs Robin Hranac
Son is South Korea’s most important player and their captain. His movement off the ball — the runs in behind, the drops into the pocket, the combination play with Lee Kang-in — will be the key to creating space for South Korea. Hranac — Czechia’s right-sided centre back — will have the most difficult defensive assignment of the match in trying to contain one of the Premier League’s most consistent attacking performers.
Patrik Schick vs Kim Min-jae
The opposite individual battle. Schick’s intelligent movement, his ability to hold the ball and bring teammates into the game, his composure in front of goal — all of it will be tested by Kim Min-jae, widely considered one of the best centre-backs in world football. The Bayern Munich defender’s physical dominance in the air and his ability to read forward runs makes him the most difficult opponent Schick will face in Group A.
Lee Kang-in vs Tomas Soucek
The midfield battle that likely decides the match. Lee Kang-in’s technical quality and creativity against Soucek’s physicality and work rate. PSG’s Korean playmaker has the ability to unlock defences with passes that others do not see. Soucek’s role — win the ball, press Lee Kang-in and deny him time on the ball — will be one of the defining challenges of the Group A campaign for both sides.
Prediction and Expected Outcome
South Korea enter this match with the better pre-tournament form — their 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago and 1-0 win over Iceland showed discipline and confidence. Czechia qualified through the UEFA playoff and have less World Cup momentum heading in.
The key factor is South Korea’s home-style support from their enormous Korean diaspora in Mexico and the USA — Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron will have a significant Korean fan presence tonight.
Son needs to score. He has been managing a minor injury concern in pre-tournament and his fitness at 100% would make South Korea significantly more dangerous. If he is fully fit and firing, Czechia’s defence will be under enormous pressure throughout.
Czechia’s strength is their resilience — they qualified by winning a four-team playoff against major European nations and know how to win ugly. Schick’s individual quality means they are never out of a match while he is on the pitch.
Prediction: South Korea 2-1 Czechia
Son Heung-min to score. Lee Kang-in to be South Korea’s best player. Schick to score for Czechia and give them hope before South Korea’s quality tells in the final 20 minutes.
How to Watch South Korea vs Czechia
USA: Fox and Telemundo — also available on Fubo streaming
UK: BBC One and BBC iPlayer — free to air, no subscription
South Korea: MBC, KBS and SBS — all three major Korean broadcasters
Czech Republic: CT Sport — public broadcaster, free to air
India: JioCinema — free streaming
Australia: SBS On Demand — free streaming
Worldwide: FIFA+ where no local rights apply
Group A Standings Before This Match
1. Mexico — 3 points (W 2-0 South Africa)
2. South Korea — 0 points
3. Czechia — 0 points
4. South Africa — 0 points (L 0-2 Mexico, -2 goal difference)
After this match one of South Korea or Czechia joins Mexico on 3 points and immediately puts pressure on the other.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is South Korea vs Czechia at World Cup 2026?
South Korea vs Czechia kicks off at 10pm Eastern Time on June 11 — that is 3am British Summer Time on June 12, 11am Korean Standard Time on June 12 and 4am Central European Time. The match is at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico.
What channel is South Korea vs Czechia on?
In the USA the match is on Fox in English and Telemundo in Spanish. In the UK it is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, free to air. In South Korea it is on MBC, KBS and SBS. In India it is free on JioCinema.
What is the South Korea starting lineup vs Czechia?
South Korea’s projected starting lineup: Seung-Gyu Kim (GK); Han-beom Lee, Kim Min-jae, Kim Tae-hyeon, Young-woo Seol, Tae-seok Lee (defence); Hwang In-beom, Lee Jae-Sung, Lee Kang-in (midfield); Heung-Min Son, Hwang Hee-chan (attack).
What is the Czechia starting lineup vs South Korea?
Czechia’s projected starting lineup: Matej Kovar (GK); Vladimir Coufal, Robin Hranac, Stepan Chaloupek, Ladislav Krejci (defence); Vladimir Darida, David Jurasek (defensive midfield); Tomas Soucek, Pavel Sulc, Lukas Provod (attacking midfield); Patrik Schick (striker).
Who is South Korea’s captain at World Cup 2026?
Heung-Min Son — Tottenham Hotspur’s Korean forward — is the South Korea captain at the 2026 World Cup. He is South Korea’s all-time leading scorer and their most important player.
Who is Czechia’s best player at World Cup 2026?
Patrik Schick — Bayer Leverkusen striker — is Czechia’s most dangerous player and their biggest goalscoring threat at the 2026 World Cup. He is supported by Tomas Soucek, who provides physicality and goals from midfield.
Has South Korea played in a World Cup Day 1 match before?
Yes — South Korea’s most famous World Cup moment came at the 2002 World Cup which they co-hosted with Japan, reaching the semi-finals. Tonight’s Day 1 match in Guadalajara continues their strong World Cup tradition as one of Asia’s most successful tournament nations.
Conclusion
The World Cup 2026 opened with drama and emotion at the Azteca. Now the focus shifts to Guadalajara — Estadio Akron, 10pm ET, Son Heung-min vs Patrik Schick, Korea vs Czechia.
Both teams need three points. One of them will get them. The other faces immediate pressure in the group stage.
The World Cup Day 1 double header ends tonight in Guadalajara. Do not miss it.
Read next: South Korea vs Czechia — Full Time Result and Match Report — World Cup 2026
Related: Mexico 2-0 South Africa — World Cup 2026 Opening Match Report
Related: South Korea World Cup 2026 Schedule — All Matches, Dates and Times
Related: Czechia World Cup 2026 Schedule — Full Group A Campaign Guide Who wins tonight — South Korea or Czechia — and will Son Heung-min score in his World Cup opener? Tell us in the comments!
Who wins tonight — South Korea or Czechia — and will Son Heung-min score in his World Cup opener? Tell us in the comments!