Mexico and South Africa will raise the curtain on a World Cup for the second time this century when they kick-off the tournament on June 11.
It will be 16 years to the day since Siphiwe Tshabalala’s scored one of the most iconic goals of recent times, when his thunderbolt gave Bafana Bafana the lead against Mexico as they opened the first-ever World Cup on African soil with a 1-1 draw back in 2010.
Mexico’s vocal backing may well have the biggest impact on this group. But they’ll be joined by ageing icons like Son Heung-min, veteran manager Hugo Broos, and a Czechia side that navigated a chaotic play-off path to return to the world stage for the first time since 2006.
Mexico
- Odds to win Group A: 5/6
- Odds to win World Cup: 80/1
The return of Javier Aguirre for a third stint has provided the Mexican national team with a tactical stability that was conspicuously absent during the Qatar cycle.
Aguirre has largely abandoned the experimentation of his predecessors in favour of a rigid 4-3-3 system that emphasizes high-intensity pressing and rapid, wide transitions.
Recent performances, specifically the March draws against Portugal and Belgium, proved that the squad can maintain its shape against elite European opposition even when rotated.
While established names like Raul Jimenez (Fulham) and Hirving Lozano remain central to the plan, the inclusion of 17-year-old Gilberto Mora has added a layer of unpredictability to the midfield.
The primary advantage for El Tri remains the geography of the tournament. Playing at the Estadio Azteca and the Akron Stadium provides a physical edge through altitude that Aguirre intends to exploit by forcing opponents into high-tempo physical contests.
However, the manager still faces a legitimate dilemma in goal; Jose Rangel’s distribution and performance against Belgium have made him a serious challenger to Luis Angel Malagon for the starting shirt.
If Mexico can resolve the late-game fatigue that saw them concede momentum in recent friendlies, they possess the most complete structural floor in the group.
Mexico Predicted Lineup (4-3-3): Rangel; Sanchez, Montes, Vasquez, Gallardo; Fidalgo, Lira, Vargas; Alvarado, Jimenez, Vega.
- Tipstrr Verdict: BET! Czechia CAN pip them to the group. But they’re going to qualify.
South Korea
- Odds to win Group A: 3/1
- Odds to win World Cup: 500/1
South Korea arrive in the United States amidst a significant transition period under Hong Myung-bo. The 2026 tournament marks the definitive final act for Son Heung-min, who has spent the spring recording elite assist numbers for LAFC in MLS.
Hong has implemented a 3-4-2-1 formation designed to liberate Son and Lee Kang-in (PSG), yet the March international window exposed massive holes in this setup.
The 4-0 defeat to Ivory Coast and a narrow loss to Austria revealed a persistent inability to track runners in the half-spaces and defend deep crosses, leaving Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae with an unsustainable defensive workload.
The offensive threat remains world-class. The synergy between Son and Wolves’ forward Hwang Hee-chan allows South Korea to hurt any team in the group on the counter-attack, particularly a Czechia side that can be slow to recover in transition.
The success of the Taegeuk Warriors hinges entirely on whether Hong Myung-bo retreats to a more compact four-back system to offer Kim Min-jae better protection or continues to gamble on the attacking width provided by his wing-backs.
Without a shift in defensive discipline, the talent of their front three may be cancelled out by their fragility at the back.
South Korea Predicted Lineup (3-4-2-1): Kim Seung-gyu; Cho Yu-min, Kim Min-jae, Kim Joo-sung; Seol Young-woo, Kim Jin-gyu, Hwang In-beom, Lee Tae-seok; Lee Kang-in, Hwang Hee-chan, Son Heung-min.
- Tipstrr Verdict: BET! Son is flying and can carry this side in familiar territory.
- READ MORE: Smart betting markets at the 2026 World Cup
Czechia
- Odds to win Group A: 3/1
- Odds to win World Cup: 300/1
Czechia’s path to the 2026 World Cup was arguably the most dramatic in Europe, requiring two penalty shootout victories over Ireland and Denmark in just five days.
Under 74-year-old Miroslav Koubek, the Czechs have become the continent’s premier set-piece specialists, leading all of UEFA qualifying with eight goals from dead-ball situations.
This physicality is the team's primary weapon; with Tomas Soucek (West Ham) and captain Ladislav Krejci (Wolves) attacking the box, they pose a constant vertical threat that South Korea and South Africa will find difficult to match aerially.
The tactical plan is built around the shot-stopping of Matej Kovar (PSV) and a compact mid-block that funnels play toward the wings.
Patrik Schick remains the focal point of the attack, and his ability to hold the ball up allows technicians like Pavel Sulc to join the final third. While they lack the sheer explosive pace of their Group A rivals, their organizational floor is incredibly high.
Koubek has simplified the roles for his Bundesliga-based defenders, creating a side that is comfortable defending for long periods and winning games through sheer efficiency rather than aesthetic dominance.
Czechia Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kovar; Chaloupek, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Soucek, Darida, Jurasek; Provod, Schick, Sulc.
- Tipstrr Verdict: BUST! Czechia are a set-piece threat, but they’re not the most mobile.
South Africa
- Odds to win Group A: 9/1
- Odds to win World Cup: 1000/1
Hugo Broos leads South Africa into his final managerial assignment with a squad that relies heavily on the internal chemistry of its domestic core.
Following a fourth-place finish at the 2023 AFCON, Bafana Bafana has doubled down on a 4-3-2-1 ‘Christmas tree’ formation that emphasises central density.
The defensive unit is anchored by Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Ronwen Williams, the latter of whom remains one of the most effective penalty specialists in international football.
However, the lack of clinical finishing, highlighted by Lyle Foster’s missed chances against Panama in the March window, remains the team's biggest hurdle.
The attacking identity rests on the shoulders of youngsters Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng, who provide the direct dribbling required to stretch mid-to-low blocks.
South Africa's best route to points involves frustrating Mexico in the opener through a disciplined low block before utilising Teboho Mokoena’s range of passing to launch transitions.
While they enter as the lowest-ranked side in the group, their collective experience in tournament settings under Broos makes them a potential spoiler, especially against a South Korean side that has shown a willingness to overcommit in the final third.
South Africa Predicted Lineup (4-3-2-1): Williams; Mudau, Okon, Mbokazi, Modiba; Sithole, Mokoena; Hlongwane, Mofokeng, Appollis; Foster.
- Tipstrr Verdict: BUST! We’d love to see the South Africans win the group. But they won’t.
Group A Prediction
- Mexico
- Czechia
- South Korea
- South Africa
Mexico will utilise the physical advantage of the Azteca's altitude and the momentum of Aguirre's recent Gold Cup success to sweep the group, as their high-pressing 4-3-3 is perfectly suited for these specific home conditions.
Czechia is our best for the second spot because their elite set-piece efficiency, an area where South Korea struggled immensely during the March window, provides a more consistent route to points in what will likely be cagey, low-scoring encounters.