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\u25b2 Patrik Schick \u24d2 Getty Images<\/p>\n \u25b2 Patrik Schick \u24d2 Getty Images<\/p>\n
By Shin In-seop, SPOTV News \u2014 The Czech Republic, South Korea\u2019s opponent in the Group A opener, has unveiled its final World Cup roster.<\/p>\n
On May 31 (KST), the Czech Football Association posted a 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup \u2014 hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico \u2014 on its official website.<\/p>\n
Earlier, the Czechs released a 29-player provisional list on May 21 and trimmed three names to reach the final 26. Pavel Bucha (Cincinnati), Tom\u00e1\u0161 Ladra (Viktoria Plze\u0148) and Kristof Kabongo (Mlad\u00e1 Boleslav) were omitted from the final roster.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Expectations are that Czechia will field a full-strength side in the group stage. The squad includes a number of key players who are regulars in Europe\u2019s top leagues.<\/p>\n
The attack is spearheaded by Patrik Schick, with support from Adam Hlo\u017eek, Tom\u00e1\u0161 Hori and Moimir Hitil. Schick has been in electric form for Bayer Leverkusen this season, netting 22 goals in 42 official matches. A joint top scorer at Euro 2020, he brings valuable tournament experience and is the primary threat Korea\u2019s back line must neutralize.<\/p>\n
In midfield, veteran Tom\u00e1\u0161 Sou\u010dek \u2014 the country\u2019s appearance-record holder \u2014 teams up with Pavel \u0160ulc to control the center. Although Sou\u010dek relinquished the captain\u2019s armband during qualifying, he remains the squad\u2019s on-field leader. His aerial presence on set pieces makes him a significant scoring threat. The defense features Ladislav Krej\u010d\u00ed from Wolverhampton alongside Vladim\u00edr Coufal and Tom\u00e1\u0161 Hole\u0161; Krej\u010d\u00ed notably scored the decisive goal as captain in the playoff that secured Czechia\u2019s World Cup berth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
One notable omission is goalkeeper Anton\u00edn Kinsk\u00fd, who once trained alongside Son Heung-min at Tottenham. Local outlets report Kinsk\u00fd was left off the final list due to a late-season surgery and related fitness concerns.<\/p>\n
Czechia booked its place at the World Cup in dramatic fashion. In the European playoff final against Denmark, the teams were deadlocked 2-2 after extra time, and Czechia advanced by winning a tense penalty shootout. It\u2019s their first World Cup appearance since 2006 in Germany. Once a European heavyweight \u2014 they finished runners-up at Euro 1996 \u2014 Czech football has struggled on the World Cup stage in recent years. Under coach Miroslav Koubek, who took charge late last year, the team has revamped its structure and ended that drought.<\/p>\n
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The squad assembled in Prague on May 28 and played a send-off friendly against Kosovo at Epet Arena on May 31. Tom\u00e1\u0161 Ladra opened the scoring in the 11th minute, and Adam Hlo\u017eek added a second in the 31st. Despite conceding late, Czechia won 2-1 and left for the United States with momentum. The team will run a final rehearsal in New Jersey before moving to its base camp in Dallas, Texas.<\/p>\n
South Korea, coached by Hong Myung-bo, opens Group A against Czechia on June 12 at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico. After that match, Korea will face South Africa and host nation Mexico.<\/p>\n
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\u25b2 \u24d2Czech Football Association SNS<\/p>\n
\u25a0 2026 CONCACAF World Cup \u2014 Czech Republic national team final roster (26 players)<\/p>\n
GK: Luk\u00e1\u0161 Horn\u00ed\u010dek (Braga), Mat\u011bj Kov\u00e1\u0159 (PSV Eindhoven), Jind\u0159ich Stan\u011bk (Slavia Prague) DF: Vladim\u00edr Coufal, Robin Hran\u00e1\u010d (both Hoffenheim), David Doud\u011bra, Tom\u00e1\u0161 Hole\u0161, \u0160t\u011bp\u00e1n Hallowpek, David Jur\u00e1sek, David Zima (all Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krej\u010d\u00ed (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zelen\u00fd (Sparta Prague) MF: Luk\u00e1\u0161 \u010cerv, Alexandr Sojka, Denis Vi\u0161insk\u00fd (all Viktoria Plze\u0148), Vladim\u00edr Darida (Hradec Kr\u00e1lov\u00e9), Luk\u00e1\u0161 Provod, Michal Sad\u00edlek (both Slavia Prague), Hugo Sohurek (Sparta Prague), Tom\u00e1\u0161 Sou\u010dek (West Ham United), Pavel \u0160ulc (Lyon) FW: Adam Hlo\u017eek (Hoffenheim), Tom\u00e1\u0161 Hori, Moimir Hitil, Jan Kuchta (all Slavia Prague), Patrik Schick (Leverkusen)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Czech Republic’s national football team announced its final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, led by striker Patrik Schick.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/cdn-union.tenbizt.com\/contents\/crawler-dev\/thumbnail\/2026\/06\/CP-2022-0020\/thumb-e726b39c-b349-4dca-bfa1-76b90fa699e3.jpg","footnotes":""},"categories":[278095],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-263105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n