The 2026 World Cup group stage is divided into 12 groups of four teams each.
Here are key facts about Group A in World Cup history.
Group A
Mexico (MEX)
Nicknames(s): El Tri (The Tricolor)
FIFA World Ranking: 14th
Appearances: 18 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
Active Consecutive Appearances: Nine (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
Best Finish: Quarterfinals (two times -- 1970 and 1986)
Record (W-D-L): 18-15-28
Top Scorer: Luis Hernández and Javier Hernández -- four
Top Scorer in Single Tournament: Luis Hernández (1998) -- four
Oldest Scorer: Cuauhtémoc Blanco -- 37 years, 151 days (2010 vs. France)
Youngest scorer: Manuel Rosas -- 18 years, 93 days (1930 vs. Argentina)
Fact: Mexico are the first country to host three World Cups (1970, 1986 and 2026). Their best finishes at the World Cup came in 1970 and 1986 when they were hosts and reached the quarterfinals.
South Africa (RSA)
Nicknames(s): Bafana Bafana (The Boys, The Boys)
FIFA World Ranking: 60th
Appearances: Four (1998, 2002, 2010, 2026)
Active Consecutive Appearances: One (2026)
Best Finish: Group stage (three times -- 1998, 2002, 2010)
Record (W-D-L): 2-4-4
Top Scorer: Shaun Bartlett and Benni McCarthy -- two
Top Scorer in Single Tournament: Shaun Bartlett (1998) -- two
Oldest Scorer: Lucas Radebe -- 33 years, 61 days (2002 vs. Spain)
Youngest Scorer: Benni McCarthy -- 20 years, 218 days (1998 vs. Denmark)
Fact: South Africa were the first African country to host a World Cup in 2010. They became the first host nation to be eliminated in the group stage since the tournament format switched to one group stage in 1986.
South Korea (KOR)
Nicknames(s): Taegeuk Warriors, The Reds
FIFA World Ranking: 25th
Appearances: 12 (1954, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
Active Consecutive Appearances: 11 (1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
Best Finish: Semifinals (2002)
Record (W-D-L): 7-10-21
Top Scorer: Park Ji-sung, Son Heung-min and Ahn Jung-hwan -- three
Top Scorer in Single Tournament: Hong Myung-bo (1994), Ahn Jung-hwan (2002), Lee Jung-soo (2010), Lee Chung-yong (2010), Son Heung-min (2018), Cho Gue-Sung (2022) -- two
Oldest Scorer: Hwang Sun-hong -- 33 years, 325 days (2002 vs. Poland)
Youngest Scorer: Kim Jong-boo -- 20 years, 214 days (1986 vs. Bulgaria)
Fact: South Korea have participated in more World Cups than any other Asian country (12) and are the only Asian team to reach the semifinals (2002). They are also one of five nations to qualify for every World Cup since 1986 (Argentina, Brazil, Germany and Spain).
Czechia (CZE)
Nicknames(s): Nároďák (The National Team), Lokomotiva (The Locomotive)
FIFA World Ranking: 40th
Appearances: 10 (1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1982, 1990, 2006, 2026)
Active Consecutive Appearances: One (2026)
Best Finish: Runners-up (1934, 1962)
Record (W-D-L): 12-5-16
Top Scorer: Oldrich Nejedly -- seven
Top Scorer in Single Tournament: Oldrich Nejedly (1934) and Tomas Skuhravy (1990) -- five
Oldest Scorer: Antonin Panenka -- 33 years, 204 days (as Czechoslovakia, 1982 vs. France)
Youngest Scorer: Zdenek Zikan -- 20 years, 213 days (as Czechoslovakia, 1958 vs. West Germany)
Fact: Czechia qualified for the 2026 World Cup by winning their two playoff games in shootouts; against Ireland and then Denmark.
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