2026 FIFA World Cup Group A: Schedule, Standings & Prediction

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off with Group A at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Mexico faces South Africa in the tournament opener on June 11, 2026. This match repeats the 2010 World Cup opening game when South Africa hosted the tournament.

Group A brings together four nations with different World Cup stories. Mexico becomes the first country to host the World Cup three times after 1970 and 1986. South Korea returns for their 11th straight World Cup. South Africa makes their first appearance since 2010. The fourth spot goes to a team that will qualify through UEFA playoffs in March 2026.

The new 48-team format changes everything. The top two teams from Group A advance automatically to the Round of 32. The third-place team can also advance if they finish as one of the eight best third-place teams across all groups. Every point matters in this new system.

Group A Match Schedule & Fixtures

All times are listed in Eastern Time (ET). FOX and Telemundo will broadcast all matches in the United States with streaming on Peacock.

DATE	MATCH	MATCHDAY	TIME (ET)	VENUE
June 11, 2026	Mexico vs South Africa	1	3:00 PM	Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
June 11, 2026	South Korea vs UEFA Playoff Winner	1	10:00 PM	Estadio Akron, Zapopan
June 18, 2026	UEFA Playoff Winner vs South Africa	2	12:00 PM	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
June 18, 2026	South Korea vs Mexico	2	9:00 PM	Estadio Akron, Zapopan
June 24, 2026	South Korea vs South Africa	3	9:00 PM	Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
June 24, 2026	Mexico vs UEFA Playoff Winner	3	TBD	Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Also Check: FIFA World Cup 2026 full Fixtures

The opening match at Estadio Azteca marks a historic moment. The stadium becomes the first venue to host World Cup matches at three different tournaments. Mexico plays all three group games on home soil in front of their passionate fans.

The June 18 match between South Korea and Mexico at Estadio Akron will likely decide the group winner. Both teams should win their opening matches and this becomes a six-pointer with huge implications.

The final matchday sees both games kick off at the same time to maintain fairness. South Korea faces South Africa in Monterrey while Mexico takes on the UEFA playoff winner at the Azteca.

Group A Standings & Qualification Rules

The new format gives more teams a chance to advance. Here’s how it works.

Current Group A Standings

Position	Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	South Africa	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Korea Republic	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	DEN/MKD/CZE/IRL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

This table updates after each match with live results.

Qualification Rules

The top two teams advance automatically to the Round of 32. The eight best third-place teams from all 12 groups also move forward. This means 32 teams total continue to the knockout stage.

Third-place teams need at least three points and a decent goal difference to have a real chance. Four points almost guarantees advancement. This makes the third-place battle just as important as fighting for first or second.

Tiebreaker Rules

Teams tied on points get separated by these rules in order:

1. Goal difference in all group matches
2. Goals scored in all group matches
3. Points in head-to-head matches between tied teams
4. Goal difference in head-to-head matches
5. Goals scored in head-to-head matches
6. Fair play points (fewer cards is better)
7. FIFA World Ranking

Goal difference usually decides things after points. Teams need to avoid heavy defeats even when losing.

World Cup Group A Team Analysis, Preview & History

Mexico – El Tri (Host Nation)

Mexico makes history as the first nation to host three World Cups. They reached the quarter-finals in both 1970 and 1986 when hosting. The pressure is on to match or exceed those results.

Manager: Javier Aguirre (third time as Mexico coach)

Recent Form: Mexico won the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League. They beat the United States in both finals. The team enters with real momentum after years of struggles.

Key Players:

• Edson Álvarez (West Ham United) – Captain and defensive midfielder who scored the Gold Cup winning goal
• Raúl Jiménez (Fulham) – Veteran striker playing in his fourth World Cup at age 35
• Santiago Giménez (AC Milan) – Young striker with pace and finishing ability
• Hirving Lozano (San Diego FC) – Scored the famous winner against Germany in 2018
• Luis Malagón (Club América) – First-choice goalkeeper
• Gilberto Mora – 17-year-old midfielder who started the Gold Cup final

Strengths: Mexico plays all three matches on home soil with massive crowd support. The altitude at Estadio Azteca (7,200 feet) tires opponents in the second half. Recent tournament wins restored confidence after failing to advance from the group in 2022.

Weaknesses: The pressure of hosting could overwhelm players. Mexico lacks a true world-class superstar compared to other top nations. They must avoid the mistakes that cost them in Qatar.

World Cup Record: 18 appearances including 2026. Best finish was quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986. They reached the Round of 16 seven straight times from 1994-2018 before the 2022 group stage exit.

South Korea – Taegeuk Warriors

South Korea returns for their 11th consecutive World Cup. They remain the only Asian nation to reach a semi-final after their 2002 run as co-hosts.

Manager: Hong Myung-bo (former South Korea captain from 2002)

Recent Form: South Korea qualified easily and drew 2-2 with Mexico in September 2025. They lost 5-0 to Brazil but beat Paraguay 2-0 in recent friendlies.

Key Players:

• Son Heung-min (Los Angeles FC) – Captain who scored 12 goals in 13 MLS games
• Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) – Elite center back playing for a top European club
• Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) – Creative midfielder with technical quality
• Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) – Experienced midfielder with over 90 caps
• Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) – Dangerous forward when healthy

Strengths: South Korea has tons of World Cup experience from 11 straight tournaments. Son Heung-min can change games with individual brilliance. His form at LAFC shows he remains elite at age 34. Many players compete at top European clubs and face elite opponents weekly. The team plays organized and disciplined football.

Weaknesses: South Korea only advanced past the group stage three times despite 11 appearances. They rely heavily on Son to create chances. Recent tactical experiments produced mixed results.

World Cup Record: 11 consecutive appearances from 1986-2026. Best finish was semi-finals in 2002. Last reached Round of 16 in 2022 where they lost to Brazil.

Head-to-Head vs Mexico: Met 15 times including twice at World Cups. Mexico won both World Cup meetings (1998: 3-1 and 2018: 2-1). Most recent match ended 2-2 in September 2025.

South Africa – Bafana Bafana

South Africa returns to the World Cup after 16 years. They want to finally advance past the group stage for the first time in their history.

Manager: Hugo Broos (Belgian coach in his final job before retirement)

Recent Form: South Africa topped their World Cup qualifying group. They finished third at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations which was their best result since 2000.

Key Players:

• Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns) – Captain and goalkeeper who saved four penalties in AFCON quarter-final
• Teboho Mokoena – Creative midfielder who controls tempo
• Percy Tau (Qatar SC) – Experienced forward at age 30
• Evidence Makgopa – Young striker with energy and movement

Strengths: South Africa plays technical and organized football under Broos. Williams is a world-class goalkeeper who can win matches alone. He was nominated for the FIFA Yashin Award in 2024 after his AFCON heroics. The team has nothing to lose as underdogs. Their third-place AFCON finish built real confidence.

Weaknesses: South Africa never advanced from a World Cup group stage in three tries (1998, 2002, 2010). They lack star power compared to Group A opponents. Most players have zero World Cup experience.

World Cup Record: Four appearances total. Best finish was group stage in all three previous tournaments. They hosted in 2010 but became the first host nation eliminated in the group stage.

Head-to-Head vs Mexico: Met four times with the most notable being the 2010 World Cup opener. South Africa’s Siphiwe Tshabalala scored a famous goal in that 1-1 draw at Soccer City in Johannesburg.

Head-to-Head vs South Korea: These two nations have never met in competitive football. The World Cup marks their first-ever encounter.

UEFA Playoff Path D Winner (To Be Determined)

The fourth Group A team gets decided through UEFA playoffs in March 2026. Four European nations compete for one World Cup spot.

Playoff Schedule:

• Semi-finals on March 26, 2026: Denmark vs North Macedonia and Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland
• Final on March 31, 2026: Winners meet in single-elimination match

The Four Contenders:

Denmark – Favorites to qualify. World Cup regulars with quality throughout the squad. Reached Euro 2020 semi-finals. Key players include Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Højlund.

Czech Republic – Haven’t been to a World Cup since 2006. Strong European pedigree and organized football. Face Ireland in must-win semi-final.

Republic of Ireland – Qualified through dramatic last-minute win over Hungary. Known for fighting spirit and organization. Last World Cup was 2002.

North Macedonia – Would be World Cup debutants. Underdogs with nothing to lose. Shocked the football world by reaching Euro 2020.

The playoff winner joins Group A with limited preparation time. They qualify in late March and play their first World Cup match in mid-June. This gives them just 72 days to prepare compared to years of planning for other teams.

This section updates after the March 31 playoff final with full analysis of the qualified team.

World Cup 2026 Group A Predictions

Matchday 1:

Mexico 2-1 South Africa – Mexico wins the opener but South Africa makes it difficult. The Azteca crowd pushes Mexico to victory late. The altitude affects South Africa in the final 20 minutes.

South Korea 2-0 UEFA Winner – South Korea’s experience proves too much for the playoff qualifier. Son Heung-min leads a comfortable win with the European team still adjusting to World Cup conditions.

Matchday 2:

UEFA Winner 1-1 South Africa – Both teams need points after opening losses. A cautious tactical battle ends level with each side getting one goal. The draw leaves both hoping to advance as third-place qualifiers.

South Korea 1-2 Mexico – The group decider at Estadio Akron. Mexico’s home advantage makes the difference in a tight match. Late goals from Mexican substitutes seal a dramatic 2-1 win. This result likely decides first place.

Matchday 3:

South Korea 3-1 South Africa – South Korea bounces back from the Mexico loss with a commanding performance. Son Heung-min stars in a match that confirms second place for the Koreans.

Mexico 1-0 UEFA Winner – Mexico closes out the group with a professional win at the Azteca. A single goal proves enough as El Tri secures top spot with nine points from three matches.

Final Predicted Standings

Position	Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	Mexico	3	3	0	0	5	2	+3	9
2	South Korea	3	2	0	1	6	3	+3	6
3	South Africa	3	0	1	2	3	5	-2	1
4	UEFA Winner	3	0	1	2	2	6	-4	1

Mexico and South Korea advance to the Round of 32. South Africa and the UEFA playoff winner get eliminated despite competitive performances.

Key Factors & Matches to Watch

Mexico’s Opening Pressure – The tournament opener carries huge weight. Mexico must handle the nerves and pressure of launching the World Cup at home. A strong start settles El Tri down. A slow start creates panic.

The South Korea vs Mexico Showdown – This June 18 match at Estadio Akron decides the group winner. Both teams should have three points heading in. The winner takes control of Group A. Expect a tactical battle with hostile crowds and real stakes.

Home Advantage Impact – Mexico never leaves Mexico for group play. They get friendly crowds at every match. The Azteca’s altitude drains opponents late in games. This advantage could be worth multiple goals across three matches.

Son Heung-min Factor – South Korea’s captain can change matches alone. His form at LAFC shows he remains elite at age 34. How Mexico defends him in their head-to-head clash becomes crucial.

Third Place Battle – South Africa and the UEFA playoff winner likely fight for the final table spot. Goal difference matters for third-place rankings across all groups. Even teams getting eliminated should avoid heavy defeats.

UEFA Winner Integration – The playoff qualifier has just 72 days between qualifying and playing. That’s not enough time to fully prepare. Their first match against South Korea becomes critical. A bad loss could end their tournament before it starts.

2026 FIFA World Cup Group A FAQs