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2026 World Cup Soccer Group A Odds and Expert Betting Predictions

by Spencer Toth - 4/8/2026

World Cup soccer Group A predictions Son Heung-Min South Korea

Mexico will host the first game of the 2026 World Cup as one of three host nations as it looks to claim the top spot in a tricky Group A. Now is the perfect time to lock in these picks before the odds dip as the tournament approaches, as Group A offers several betting opportunities to take advantage of. Here are the four teams broken down with the best bets for how to attack this intriguing quartet of World Cup hopefuls. 

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Odds to Win Group A:
Mexico: -120

South Korea: +330

Czechia: +450

South Africa: +750

Odds to Advance:
Mexico: -1300

South Korea: -275

Czechia: -210

South Africa: -115

Mexico:
Mexico is hosting the World Cup for the third time after doing so in 1970 and 1986; this time it will be along with the United States and Canada in a joint bid. After reaching the Round of 16 and before being immediately eliminated in seven straight tournaments, Mexico was bounced from the group stage in 2022 for the first time since 1978. It was a huge disappointment for the side, but they are poised to bounce back with a manageable group this time around. 

Mexico has a deep squad to call on for the World Cup, with top players from leagues around the world. They didn’t have to qualify thanks to their host status, and their placement in Pot 1 allowed them this group stage draw. On the field, Mexico's speedy partnership of Julian Quinones and Hirving Lozano will catch the eye, but it will be their midfield that wins or loses this group. Edson Alvarez has spent time with the best clubs in Europe, and his spot in the middle of the park will be crucial. At the back, Mexico has strong fullbacks but lacks the size needed at center back to deal with physical strikers. A deep squad with MLS, Liga MX, and international talent will allow them to tinker with the squad in the group stage as they look to win a knockout stage tie for the first time in several decades. 

South Korea:
South Korea has pulled off memorable World Cup upsets before, and is poised to reach the knockout stages for the third time in its history. In attack, Son Heung-Min has taken the MLS by storm and will be a popular figure after moving to LAFC last summer. Son has dominated the MLS since his arrival and is now ushering in the next generation of South Korean superstars. Hwang Hee-Chan and Lee Kang-In both play with the best of the best in Europe, giving South Korea a trio of reliable attackers to call on. While South Korea has never had an issue with attacking talent, they often lack the rigidity in defense to make real waves at the World Cup. This year may be different, as Bayern Munich star Kim Min-Jae anchors their defense. Kim is a Bayern Munich regular for good reason and will provide stability for the South Korean defense. Their Mexico matchup will likely determine the group, but either way, South Korea will feel confident that they will reach the knockout stage. 

Czechia:
Czechia (formerly the Czech Republic) is back in the World Cup for the first time since 2006. They are expected to finish third behind Mexico and South Korea, but the revamped format means they can still punch their knockout stage ticket for the first time since 1990. There is no doubt about who the leader of this team is, and that is Patrik Schick. Schick has been an instrumental part of Bayer Leverkusen’s revitalization in recent years, leading their attack. He’s scored 31 Bundesliga goals in the last two seasons and chipped in with four more Champions League goals this year alone. In the midfield, it is no surprise to see Tomas Soucek holding down the fort. Soucek has played at the very highest level of football over the last decade and is the veteran presence Czechia needs to thrive. They lack other attacking options outside of Schick, but a sturdy defense combined with a few moments of magic from their striker could be enough to make a deep tournament run. 

South Africa:
South Africa is back in the World Cup for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 2010, and they open the tournament against Mexico again. They drew Mexico 1-1 in a historic tie last time these two sides met, but it is hard to see South Africa finding similar success this time around. They don’t have any players in the top European leagues and are forced to draw on talent domestically and from other smaller leagues around the world. They barely finished on top of their group in the qualifying round, despite getting a very easy draw. Their defense is questionable, yet the odds favor them to pick up at least a point and potentially even more. One victory could be enough to reach the knockout stages, giving South Africa a real chance of pulling off an upset. 

Best Bets:
This group is shaping up to see Mexico win it, South Korea and Czechia duke it out for second, while everyone else runs up their goal difference against South Africa. While it is hard to argue with that, it’s clear that the top of the group has much less uncertainty than the bottom. A big opening win for Mexico over South Africa would go a long way to settle their nerves, but anything less than a multi-goal win would be seen as a failure. South Korea has stunned World Cup giants in the past, and we will go out on a limb and take them to finish on top of Group A. There will be plenty of support with Heung-Min Son leading the attack, and the Mexican side hasn’t been consistent enough to justify this price tag. At +330 odds, South Korea offers strong value to finish on top. 

While I like the value there, my top bet of Group A is for South Africa not to qualify. Mexico, South Korea, and Czechia are all solid teams with knockout-stage aspirations, and they will show no mercy to South Africa in the group stage. South Africa would be lucky to get a point, and it is shocking to see nearly 50/50 odds on their qualification. Even one win may not be enough after they get blown out on at least one occasion, and expecting anything more feels like a real stretch. I know some of the third-place teams get through, but South Africa will come last more often than not, making -125 a great price. 

Pick: South Korea to Win Group A +330

Top Pick: South Africa NOT to Qualify -125

Projected Table:
South Korea: 7 Points

Mexico: 5 Points

Czechia: 4 Points

South Africa: 0 Points

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