Czechia have qualified for FIFA World Cup 2026™ after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Denmark, securing their first return to the global showpiece since Germany 2006.
Miroslav Koubek’s side emerged from the UEFA play-offs after initially overcoming Republic of Ireland on spot-kicks in their semi-final, before once again demonstrating that they can hold their nerve from 12 yards with a 3-1 success against the Danes, following a 2-2 draw over 120 nerve-shredding minutes in Prague.
Czechia’s reward is a place in Group A of the tournament, where they will face Korea Republic in Guadalajara, South Africa in Atlanta, and co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City.
Czechia were forced on to the UEFA play-off pathway after finishing second behind Croatia in Group L of the preliminary qualifying competition, with the 74-year-old Koubek named as their new coach in December 2025.
The nation’s last World Cup outing saw them exit at the group stage, with a 3-0 victory over USA the highlight alongside defeats at the hands of Ghana and Italy.
Czechia at the FIFA World Cup
First appearance: Italy 1934
Qualifications: 10 (1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1982, 1990, 2006, 2026)
Best result: Runners-up (1934 and 1962)
Czechia competed as Czechoslovakia at World Cups from 1930-1994 and as Czech Republic from 1998-2014.
