Winners of Group A - Mexico @ 10/11
Not to qualify from Group A - Czech Republic @ 5/2
Top scorer in Group A - Raul Jimenez @ SP
Co-hosts Mexico will be hopeful of going far on home soil at the 2026 World Cup and they have been drawn alongside South Korea, Czech Republic and South Africa in Group A.
We have provided analysis into each team's form and key players before picking out some value bets to follow.
The latest 2026 World Cup odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Mexico
Ranked 15th in the FIFA rankings, Mexico have showcased their defensive prowess building up to the World Cup, keeping clean sheets in friendlies against the likes of Portugal, Ghana and Iceland, and a resolute backline will be crucial if they are going to go deep in the knockout rounds.
El Tri will be without goalkeeper Luis Malagon, who tore his ACL earlier in the year, while Edson Alvarez and Luis Chavez have only recently returned from long-term injuries and it is unclear how rusty they will be.
Raul Jimenez, Alexis Vega and Santiago Gimenez are set to play crucial attacking roles for Mexico.
South Korea
South Korea, who are 25th in the FIFA rankings, went unbeaten through 2026 World Cup qualifying, winning 11 and drawing five of their 16 matches, and they have proven themselves at the finals in recent years.
No less than 40 goals were scored and captain Son Heung-min was responsible for 10 of those, with the skipper set to play another key role.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in was chief creator and he will add to the creativity in this squad, while Hwang Hee-chan, Bae Jun-ho and Oh Hyeon-gyu further boost the ranks.
The latest 2026 World Cup odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic’s hopes of advancing in this tournament rest largely on the shoulders of forward Patrik Schick, who scored 22 goals in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen this season.
Getting good service to him will be crucial and Pavel Sulc will be looked at for this, with the Lyon midfielder bringing technical flair and precision passes to the side.
But the Czech’s, who sit 41st in the FIFA rankings, were unconvincing in reaching the finals, squeezing through the play-offs on penalties in the semi-final and final, and the lack of strength in depth in their squad may hurt them.
South Africa
The lowest FIFA ranked side in this section at 60th, South Africa have never made it out of the group at their three previous World Cups and it could end up being a similar story for them in the 2026 edition.
The majority of the squad is made up of players who compete in South Africa’s first division, which is some levels below several of Europe’s leading leagues.
There is intrigue over the inclusions of uncapped defensive pair Bradley Cross and Olwethu Makhanya, while Relebohile Mofokeng and Thapelo Maseko provide youth and energy in the attacking department, but it seems like a tough ask for Bafana Bafana not to finish bottom.
The latest 2026 World Cup odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Who will win World Cup Group A?
Mexico will have vociferous home support at the World Cup with two of their Group A matches taking place at Estadio Azteca and the other at Estadio Akron, and the familiarity with the conditions will give them an advantage over their opponents.
El Tri have proven difficult to break down, evidenced by their 0-0 draw against free-scoring Portugal in March, and they should have enough quality in their backline to keep the majority of their group opponents quiet.
Head coach Javier Aguirre also has plenty of attacking options to choose from, notably the experienced Raul Jimenez who is ably supported by the likes of Alexis Vega, Alexis Gutierrez and Santiago Gimenez.
Armando Gonzalez also looks to be a real talent and he has impressed for Guadalajara this season. He could end up being his country's breakout star should he be afforded some decent playing time.
Mexico have a strong history of reaching the knockout stages at the World Cup, having done so in eight of their last nine attempts, and they look capable of taking top spot in their section which would then set up a last-32 tie against one of the best third-placed teams.
Who will qualify from World Cup Group A?
Mexico have failed to get out of the group in just two of their last 11 World Cups and they can move into the knockout stage with ease, as can South Korea.
The Taegeuk Warriors have made it to the last-16 stage or further in three of their last six appearances at the major tournament and their unbeaten run in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup suggests they will advance.
But it could be an unhappy event for both South Africa, who look short in most departments, and the Czech Republic, who required penalties in both play-off matches to reach the finals and have suffered early exits in four of their last six major tournaments.
Who will be the top scorer of World Cup Group A?
Jimenez continues to produce the goods for Mexico and he was his country’s joint-top scorer during the 2025 Gold Cup triumph.
The 35-year-old netted 10 times in all competitions for Fulham this season and he will be desperate to notch his first goal at the finals of a World Cup.
If any player is to better Jimenez in this department, it could be South Korea skipper Son Heung-min, who top-scored for his country through qualifying with 10 goals and sits atop of the Taegeuk Warriors’ charts for World Cup strikes on three.
The latest 2026 World Cup odds are available on LiveScore Bet
