Bafana Bafana: A Glimpse into What Awaits from 2026 World Cup Rivals Czech Republic

The Czech team secured their place in the finals by narrowly defeating Denmark 3-1 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in their final qualifier this week, marking their return to the global tournament for the first time since 2006.

What kind of challenge will they present?

Typically, the Czech Republic plays a 3-4-2-1 formation, although coach Miroslav Koubek occasionally opts for a 3-5-2 formation featuring two traditional centre-forwards. When defending, they swiftly regroup into a 5-4-1 structure.

This team does not prioritise possession or slow buildup play. In fact, they boasted one of the fastest transition speeds among all teams in the European qualifiers, reflecting their aggressive pressing strategies.

As a result, they transition the ball from defence to attack quickly, often employing long balls, in stark contrast to Bafana’s playing style. This sets the stage for a fascinating clash of tactics.

The Czech Republic boasts a squad filled with physically robust players skilled in duels, aerial challenges, and pressing. They frequently deliver crosses into the box and excelled in scoring from set-pieces during the qualifiers, tallying 11 goals—accounting for half of their total—making them the top team in Europe in this respect.

This poses a significant concern for Bafana coach Hugo Broos, as his team struggles to defend aerial balls and often concedes from set-piece situations.

On a more positive note, the Czechs have shown vulnerability against teams that prioritise ball possession and have players adept in one-on-one battles. This may present opportunities for Bafana players like Oswin Appollis and Tshepang Moremi to exploit.

Leading their attack is Bayer Leverkusen forward Patrik Schick, while Premier League watchers may recognise names like Tomáš Souček from West Ham and defender Ladislav Krejčí from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Similar to Bafana, the majority of Czech players are based domestically in clubs like Slavia Prague and Viktoria Plzeň.

At 74 years old, Czech coach Koubek is significantly older than Broos, making this match a duel of the experienced strategists.

The Czech Republic is currently ranked 43rd in the world, placing them above South Africa, who sits at 60th in the FIFA rankings.

Historically, the two teams have clashed once before, during the Confederations Cup in Saudi Arabia in late 1997, where they played to a 2-2 draw. Bafana’s Brendan Augustine and Helman Mkhalele scored as they came from behind twice to equalise.

Bafana will kick off the World Cup with a match against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on June 11, while their final group game will be against South Korea in Monterrey on June 24.