The Czech National Team's Journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The Czech national team is back at the FIFA World Cup. After a 20-year absence, the team officially known as Czechia secured its place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup through a tense UEFA play-off path in March 2026, ending the longest gap in modern Czech soccer history. The country last qualified in 2006, and the road to North America in 2026 required a coaching change, a captaincy reshuffle, and back-to-back penalty shootouts.

What follows is a complete look at Czechia’s journey to the 2026 tournament: How the team qualified, who is leading the squad, what the Group A draw looks like, and where the team will be based during the tournament.

Where Czechia stands ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Czechia is in Group A at the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Mexico (co-host), South Korea, and South Africa. The team opens the tournament against South Korea on June 11, 2026, and plays its three group-stage matches across both Mexico and the United States. Under new head coach Miroslav Koubek and new captain Ladislav Krejčí, the squad arrives in North America with momentum from a dramatic March 2026 play-off campaign.

Czechia’s training base for the tournament is the North Texas venue selected as one of FIFA’s official Team Base Camps. The country was assigned to the venue ahead of the formal Base Camp draw, a notable credential for the facility, given the assignment was made before Czechia had even completed qualification.

How Czechia qualified for the 2026 World Cup

Czechia qualified for the 2026 World Cup via Path D of the UEFA second-round play-offs in March 2026. The play-off route is the secondary path for European teams that did not win their first-round qualifying group. Path D required two single-leg knockout matches in five days, both played at home in Czechia, and both decided by penalty shootouts.

The first-round qualifying group

During the first round, Czechia finished second in their UEFA qualifying group behind Croatia. The campaign produced 16 points from eight matches but included a setback against the Faroe Islands that put significant pressure on the coaching staff and triggered a leadership change before the play-offs.

The play-off path against Ireland and Denmark

In the semi-final on March 26, 2026, Czechia hosted the Republic of Ireland. The match required a penalty shootout to decide a winner. Czechia advanced to the final.

The final, on March 31, 2026, brought Denmark to Prague. The two teams played to a 2-2 draw after extra time. Czechia won the resulting penalty shootout to secure their place at the 2026 tournament. The double-shootout qualification path made the campaign one of the most dramatic in Czech soccer’s recent history.

Ending a 20-year wait

The qualification ends Czechia’s longest absence from the World Cup since the country was formed in 1993. Per the historical record of the Czech Republic at the FIFA World Cup, Czechia’s only previous appearance as an independent nation was at the 2006 tournament in Germany, where the team finished third in its group and was eliminated in the first round.

The coach, captain, and key players to watch

Czechia enters the 2026 World Cup under a coaching change made just weeks before the play-offs, and with a new captain confirmed only days before the qualification matches began. The technical and leadership shifts in late 2025 and early 2026 have defined the squad arriving in North America this summer.

Head coach Miroslav Koubek

Miroslav Koubek was appointed head coach of Czechia on December 19, 2025. His appointment followed the dismissal of the previous coaching staff after the difficult qualifying campaign. Koubek brings extensive Czech club football experience and guided the team through the play-off victories in March 2026. His tactical approach emphasizes discipline, set-piece efficiency, and mental resilience.

New captain Ladislav Krejčí

Defender Ladislav Krejčí was confirmed as Czechia’s new captain on March 23, 2026, after the captaincy of Tomáš Souček ended. Krejčí is a center-back and brings the leadership role onto the field through the team’s defensive structure. He led the team through both play-off matches and into the 2026 tournament.

Patrik Schick, forward

Patrik Schick is Czechia’s lead forward and primary goal threat. Schick scored twice during the play-off path and offers a combination of aerial dominance and clinical finishing that has made him a fixture in the Czech attack. His ability to convert from set pieces is central to Koubek’s tactical setup.

Tomáš Souček, midfielder

Tomáš Souček remains a foundational midfielder for Czechia despite the captaincy change. Souček provides leadership, height, and box-to-box energy from central midfield, contributing in both penalty areas, especially on set pieces. For ongoing Czech program coverage and venue-specific updates, the stadium news page tracks announcements relevant to the team’s base.

Czechia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A schedule

Czechia plays all three group-stage matches from June 11 to 24, 2026. Two of the three fixtures are in Mexico, and one is at the Atlanta tournament venue in the United States. The fixtures are:

• Matchday 1: South Korea vs Czechia, Thursday, June 11, 2026, 10:00 p.m. ET, at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico
• Matchday 2: Czechia vs South Africa, Thursday, June 18, 2026, 12:00 p.m. ET, at the Atlanta tournament venue
• Matchday 3: Czechia vs Mexico, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 9:00 p.m. ET, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City

The top two teams in each group advance automatically to the round of 32, with the eight best third-placed teams also progressing under the expanded 48-team format. Czechia’s most difficult fixture on paper is the closing match against host nation Mexico in Mexico City.

Where will Czechia be based during the 2026 tournament

Czechia’s official FIFA Team Base Camp for the 2026 tournament is Mansfield Stadium in North Texas. FIFA selected the venue as Czechia’s Base Camp before Czechia had completed qualification, a designation that places the facility inside the formal tournament infrastructure regardless of which national team would ultimately be assigned to train there.

A Base Camp is the team’s private training and accommodation hub for the duration of the tournament. National squads use their Base Camp between matches for training sessions, recovery, tactical preparation, and team logistics. Training sessions at Mansfield Stadium will not be open to the public during the tournament. The Base Camp is the team’s working environment, not a public-facing fan experience.

The Base Camp selection also reflects the venue’s broader role in the 2026 tournament network, which spans 16 host cities, multiple Team Base Camps, and dozens of training sites across the three host countries.

Follow the journey all summer long

Czechia’s 2026 World Cup campaign opens on June 11 and continues through June 24 in the group stage, with the possibility of knockout-round football beyond that if the team finishes in the top two of Group A or among the best third-placed teams. For fans following along from North Texas, the regional soccer calendar this summer includes both the World Cup tournament window and live local fixtures at venues across the area. The North Texas venue’s full schedule of upcoming events lists the wider regional soccer calendar, and the open house on May 27, 2026, is the first public-access event at the venue before the tournament window begins.

Frequently asked questions.

How did Czechia qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

Czechia qualified for the 2026 World Cup via Path D of the UEFA second-round play-offs in March 2026. The team won single-leg knockout matches against the Republic of Ireland on March 26 and Denmark on March 31, both at home in Prague, and both decided on penalty shootouts.

What group is Czechia in at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Czechia is in Group A at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside host nation Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa. Group A matches are scheduled on June 11, 18, and 24, 2026, in Mexico and Atlanta.

When did Czechia last play in a FIFA World Cup?

Czechia’s previous and only appearance at the FIFA World Cup as an independent nation was at the 2006 tournament in Germany, where the team finished third in its group and was eliminated in the first round. The 2026 tournament ends a 20-year absence from the World Cup.

Who is the head coach of Czechia at the 2026 World Cup?

Miroslav Koubek is the head coach of Czechia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He was appointed on December 19, 2025, following the dismissal of the previous coaching staff after a difficult qualifying campaign.

Who is the captain of Czechia at the 2026 World Cup?

Ladislav Krejčí, a center-back, is the captain of Czechia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Krejčí was confirmed as the new captain on March 23, 2026, after the previous captaincy of Tomáš Souček ended ahead of the play-off matches.

Where will Czechia be based during the 2026 World Cup?

Czechia will be based at Mansfield Stadium in North Texas, which has been selected by FIFA as one of the official Team Base Camps for the 2026 tournament. The Base Camp is the team’s private training and accommodation hub for the duration of the tournament and is not open to the public.