Group A

Group Overview

Mexico and South Korea are expected to lead this group based on World Cup pedigree.

South Africa could surprise as a dark horse in this group.

One spot remains undecided: the UEFA Playoff D winner (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, or Ireland — decided March 31). This could significantly impact the group dynamics depending on which team qualifies.

Standings

# Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Mexico Mexico 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0 0
2 South Africa South Africa 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0 0
3 South Korea South Korea 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0 0
4 🏳️ 🏳️ 🏳️ 🏳️ Playoff Qualifier 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0 0
Top 2 advance to Round of 32

Team Analysis

Mexico
Mexico Experienced Contender

Mexico have appeared in 17 World Cups with an all-time record of 17W-15D-28L. Their biggest World Cup win was 4-0 against El Salvador.

World Cups: 17
Record: 17W-15D-28L
Win Rate: 28.3%
South Korea
South Korea Experienced Contender

South Korea have appeared in 11 World Cups with an all-time record of 7W-10D-21L. Their biggest World Cup win was 2-0 against Poland.

World Cups: 11
Record: 7W-10D-21L
Win Rate: 18.4%
South Africa
South Africa Potential Dark Horse

South Africa have appeared in 3 World Cups with an all-time record of 2W-4D-3L. Their biggest World Cup win was 1-0 against Slovenia.

World Cups: 3
Record: 2W-4D-3L
Win Rate: 22.2%
TBD
Playoff Qualifier

The fourth team in this group will be the UEFA Playoff D winner (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, or Ireland — decided March 31).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which teams are in Group A at World Cup 2026?
Group A consists of Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and the UEFA Playoff D winner (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, or Ireland — decided March 31).
When does Group A play at World Cup 2026?
Group A matches take place from June 11 to June 25, 2026.
How many teams advance from Group A?
The top 2 teams in Group A will advance to the Round of 32 at World Cup 2026. With 48 teams in 12 groups, only the top two from each group qualify for the knockout stage.
Where are Group A matches played?
Group A matches will be played at Estadio Azteca, Estadio Akron, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Estadio BBVA.