/https%3A%2F%2Fplays-central.com%2Fbetting%2Fapp%2Fthemes%2Fst-child%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Ftntsports.svg)
/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia-eurosport.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fbetting%2F2026%2F06%2FCzechia-vs-Mexico-TNT-Sports-UK.png)
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Thursday, 25 June 2026 | 2:00am BST
Jump to a section
Czechia must win this final Group A fixture at the Estadio Azteca if they are to maintain any hope of advancing, after gathering just one point from their opening two matches against South Korea and South Africa.
Mexico arrive having already secured qualification with maximum points and five consecutive wins to their name; Javier Aguirre’s side are favourites to win in midweek, but see our Ladbrokes sportsbook review for a full breakdown of their World Cup betting markets.
Czechia vs Mexico form and preview
Koubek’s 3-5-2 system has shown resilience at its best, as the penalty-shootout victories over Ireland and Denmark demonstrated, but conceding seven goals across their last five outings points to a fragility that Mexico’s attack is equipped to expose.
Patrik Schick is the focal point of the Czech attack, and the Bayer Leverkusen striker’s international record of 26 goals from 55 appearances makes him a threat that Alvarez and Mexico’s back four must account for at all times, but he has yet to find the back of the net at this World Cup.
Tomas Soucek adds a distinct dimension to the Czech midfield that is often underestimated by opponents; the West Ham United midfielder has scored 17 goals in 92 international appearances, primarily from late runs into the penalty area, and Aguirre’s defensive structure must be prepared for that movement.
Vladimir Coufal and Alexandr Sojka’s performance as wingbacks will be central to Koubek’s system working effectively, but if Mexico’s wide forwards can occupy and pin back those two, the central corridors could open considerably for Jimenez to exploit.
The 26-place gap in FIFA rankings between 14th-placed Mexico and 40th-placed Czechia reflects a difference in class that Koubek has the tools to partially offset, but sustaining a defensive effort for 90 minutes against Mexico’s relentless attacking rotation will be the defining challenge.
Javier Aguirre’s side have been the most complete version of themselves in years, combining prolific attacking output with a defensive organisation that kept four clean sheets across their last five outings.
Their 5-1 dismantling of Serbia stands as the headline result of that run and signals the kind of attacking depth available to Aguirre when Mexico are in full flow.
Raul Jimenez carries the principal goalscoring responsibility for El Tri, and the 35-year-old Wolverhampton Wanderers striker brings 46 international goals from 126 caps to a contest in which he is expected to lead the attack once more.
Edson Alvarez, with 100 caps and the captain’s armband, provides the defensive foundation from his holding midfield position; the Fenerbahce midfielder has been the platform from which Roberto Alvarado and Julian Quinones have operated with such freedom out wide.
Those exploring football betting markets for this match will find Mexico priced as clear favourites, and the numbers from their recent form justify that assessment entirely.
Team news: Czechia vs Mexico
Mexico
Mexico have no confirmed injury concerns, leaving Aguirre with a clean bill of health and the pleasant problem of choosing between in-form players for a fixture that carries none of the qualification pressure on his side.
With Group A already won, Aguirre has the option to rotate and give fringe players meaningful minutes, though the weight of a home World Cup game at the Estadio Azteca is likely to keep a strong core in place regardless of any peripheral changes.
Raul Rangel is expected to continue in goal, though the occasion at the Azteca and Guillermo Ochoa’s 152-cap legacy mean there is a genuine conversation to be had about giving the veteran keeper a farewell appearance in front of the home crowd.
Edson Alvarez remains one of the most influential figures in Mexico’s structure and is unlikely to be rotated regardless of what changes Aguirre makes elsewhere, with the 100-cap captain central to everything they do from deep.
Raul Jimenez is anticipated to lead the line once more, though Santiago Gimenez is pushing hard for a starting berth given his recent sharpness, with the Milan striker an option from the off should Aguirre decide to freshen the attack.
Czechia
David Jurasek’s absence is the significant selection news for Koubek, with the Slavia Prague defender unavailable for this contest due to a muscle injury.
His exit from the left-back area leaves Sojka as the most likely option to cover the left wingback channel, a role the young Viktoria Plzen star has performed in the squad’s recent outings.
Schick is fully available and expected to lead the Czech attack, with his partnership alongside Adam Hlozek carrying a goal threat against the Mexico’s excellent defensive record.
Soucek, Czechia’s most-capped player in this squad at 92 appearances, brings leadership and the kind of experienced reading of the game that Koubek will need if his side are to impose themselves in the critical midfield battle.
Czechia vs Mexico injuries and predicted XIs
Czechia predicted XI (3-5-2): M Kovar; L Krejci, R Hranac, T Holes; V Coufal, T Soucek, M Sadilek, P Sulc, A Sojka; P Schick, A Hlozek
Mexico predicted XI (4-1-4-1): R Rangel; J Sanchez, I Reyes, C Montes, M Chavez; E Alvarez; R Alvarado, O Vargas, L Romo, J Quinones; R Jimenez
Head-to-head: Czechia vs Mexico
Mexico and Czechia have met just once in recorded international football – at the Chinese New Year Tournament in February 2000, when Czech Republic claimed a 2-1 victory over Mexico in a result now 26 years in the past.
Mexico arrive as the form team by a considerable margin, having won five consecutive matches with 11 goals scored and just one conceded across that run.
Similarly, El Tri’s World Cup campaign has been a model of controlled efficiency: two wins, three goals scored and none conceded across victories over South Africa and South Korea.
Czechia have taken just one point from their two World Cup fixtures, losing to South Korea and drawing with South Africa in a campaign that leaves Koubek’s side requiring maximum points from this final group game; the gulf in recent form between these two teams is significant.
Our Czechia vs Mexico prediction and tips
- The gap between these two sides in attacking output and defensive solidity is the defining factor in this match, and Aguirre’s side carry the momentum and the personnel to impose that difference across 90 minutes.
- Schick’s quality and Czechia’s willingness to attack through Hlozek and Soucek’s late runs means this is unlikely to be a completely one-sided contest despite the gulf in form.
- The 26-place FIFA ranking gap between these two sides, combined with Mexico’s superior clean sheet record and goal tally, supports a scoreline that reflects Mexican dominance while acknowledging Czechia’s attacking threat.
Anthony is an avid Liverpool fan that covers football and the World Cup on TNT Sports. A few seasons deep into his work writing for a number of sites such as Sports Mole and Football Ground Guide, he regularly previews upcoming clashes and pens features about the latest and greatest in the beautiful game. Anthony is looking forward to writing about how the Reds continue to spend the Coutinho money.