Czech Republic v South Africa LIVE: Team news and updates from World Cup 2026 clash

Just 15 minutes until kick-off in Atlanta, in what is a huge game for both sides.

Neither side’s World Cup dream would be over if they were to lose, but it would mean they would have to win their final game and hope that three points and their goal difference is enough to carry them through as one of the third-placed teams.

If one team can grab a win, it means they could probably rely on a draw to carry them through in the final game of the group stages.

Back on the biggest stage for the first time since hosting in 2010, will there be a moment to rival “Goal, Bafana, Bafana” in a repeat of that opening fixture 16 years ago? Probably not.

They entered last winter’s Africa Cup of Nations with high hopes of a deep run only for Cameroon to win a round of 16 meeting 2-1, while their qualification for this tournament appeared in some jeopardy after being docked three points after midfielder Teboho Mokoena mistakenly played in a qualifier versus Lesotho despite being suspended because of an accumulation of yellow cards..

Lyle Foster, the Burnley forward, may be the only recognisable name for fans watching on from the UK but their big strength will be familiarity. Eight of the squad are clubmates for Mamelodi Sundowns, the dominant domestic team who had won eight of the previous titles before Orlando Pirates pipped them by a point this season. There are eight Pirates in the squad too.

That camaraderie will be key if they are to cause a surprise, though head coach Hugo Broos, a 74-year-old veteran, is hardly spelling out grand expectations. “We’re going to do our best but I don’t think anyone will blame us if we don’t make it out of the group,” he said recently.

They entered the play-offs in supposed shambles but arrive at the World Cup with a newly-acquired sense of fortitude. Miroslav Koubek, 74, was installed as head coach following a dire group campaign that ended with Tomas Soucek stripped of the captaincy because of a row with fans. They started awfully against Ireland in their semi-final, too, only to be gifted a penalty when two goals down, eventually progressing to a final with Denmark via penalties.

The Danes dominated that encounter, peppering the Czech goal in a game that again ended with a shootout. Again, they were flawless from the spot and from an unlikely position seem to have developed a bloody-mindedness that overwrites the absence of coherent, attacking football.

This is a squad packed with familiar names; mostly because they have been around for so long. Having qualified for all eight European Championships since the break up of Czechoslovakia, this is just a second World Cup appearance and their 2006 tournament ended in the group stage. Making it to a maiden knockout tie would be progress for a team whose presence appeared doubtful more than once.

South Africa XI: Williams; Mudau, Okon, Mbozaki, Modiba; Mokoena, Mbatha, Adams; Maseko, Rayners, Appollis.

Czech Republic XI: Kovar; Hranac, Holes, Krejci; Coufal, Sadilek, Darida, Cerv, Sojka; Hlozek, Schick.

Both sets of players have arrived at the Atlanta Stadium as preparations are well underway…

And with that in mind, here are the remaining fixtures in Group A as hosts Mexico look to secure top spot:

Thursday 18 June, 17:00: Czech Republic vs South Africa – Atlanta

Friday 19 June, 02:00: Mexico vs Korea Republic – Guadalajara

Thursday 25 June, 02:00: Czech Republic vs Mexico – Mexico City

Thursday 25 June, 02:00: South Africa vs Korea Republic – Monterrey

As we prepare for the second round of Group A fixtures, here’s a reminder of how the first games went:

Friday 12 June, 03:00: Korea Republic 2-1 Czech Republic – Guadalajara

Messi’s treble against Algeria gives him 16 World Cup goals, double Ronaldo’s tally. More pertinently, it justified Argentina’s policy of building a team around an ageing legend. For the third tournament in row, however, the danger is that Ronaldo holds Portugal back. A draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo highlighted the difficulties of trying to win the World Cup with a team of 10 men and a statue. For one of the favourites, it was a wretched start.

Houston, they had a problem. Or he was the problem. Ronaldo’s impotence condemned Portugal to a draw which, in turn, could mean there is no last reunion with Messi in the quarter-finals in Kansas City: fail to win the group and they will have to plot a different path altogether. As Ronaldo appeared in a sixth World Cup, he remains yet to become the first player to score in six. He did not get particularly close.

Richard Jolly gives his take on question marks surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo: