South Korea Comeback to Beat Czech Republic in World Cup Opener

On June 12, 2026, South Korea began their World Cup campaign with a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic. The first half ended goalless, but in the 59th minute, Ladislav Krejčí put the Czechs ahead. South Korea equalized just eight minutes later thanks to a precise strike from Hwang In-beom. The winning goal came in the 80th minute, scored by Oh Hyeon-gyu.

In the opening match of Group A, Mexico beat South Africa 2-0. The second round of group matches will see Mexico face South Korea and the Czech Republic take on South Africa next week. In the final group round, the Czech Republic will play Mexico, while South Korea will meet South Africa.

This tournament is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, hosted across Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of four. The top two from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advance to the knockout stage. The group stage ends on June 27, followed by knockout matches starting June 28. Semi-finals are scheduled for July 14 and 15, the bronze match on July 18, and the final on July 19. Argentina, the 2022 champions, beat France on penalties in the previous final.