With the 2026 Fifa World Cup opening-match hype a thing of the past and the competition in full swing, Bafana Bafana have shifted their focus to a much bigger task ahead —going up against a strong Czech Republic side in a crucial must-win game at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Thursday night.
Bafana’s return to the highest football destiny 16 years later took a negative turn when they lost to World Cup co-host Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium on Thursday.
Forget about how they secured one of the last remaining spots in the World Cup; Czechia is traditionally a European powerhouse that has several quality players who can hurt their opponents on any given day.
The Czechs booked their spot in the group stages of the World Cup when they beat Denmark in the Concacaf World Cup finals on penalties in the final of the European qualifying playoffs in March.
Their road to the World Cup was not easy — they competed against the likes of Croatia, the Faroe Islands, Montenegro and Gibraltar in Group L of the European qualifiers.
In October last year, coach Ivan Hasek was sacked after the disappointing 2-1 defeat against Faroe Islands.
However, they managed to turn the corner after the appointment of Miroslav Koubek about three months before the playoffs.
The rest is history because they managed to book a spot in the global showpiece.
Sunday World takes a closer look at the Czechia team and some of the players that could cause a threat to Broos’s side on Thursday in Atlanta, US.
Tomas Soucek (West Ham United)
Despite West Ham succumbing to relegation in the Premier League, Tomas Soucek established himself as one of the top players for the Hammers over the years.
He is a constant threat and forms a formidable part of the Czechia dead-ball situation danger against the opposition.
Ladislav Krejć (Wolverhampton)
Another player who suffered relegation with his club, after Wolves finished at the bottom of the Premier League, is captain and centre-back Ladislav Krejci.
Apart from that, he is certainly a player to watch and will also be a threat to the Bafana defence during set plays with his strong presence inside the box.
Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen)
Arguably, the best player in the Czech team, Patrik Schick, is a player Broos and his technical team will be paying a lot of attention to in their planning.
Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Olwethu Makhanya, Ime Okon and co will have to be extra vigilant and disciplined because they will be up against a quality striker who scored more than 20 goals in all competitions this past season.
Pavel Schulz (Olympique Lyon)
Like they always say in football, most games are won in the middle of the park, and Pavel Schulz will be in the thick of things. It is hoped that he will pull all the strings with his creative passing that is able to unlock many teams.
The 26-year-old attacking midfield ace happens to have some goals in him, having scored 11 goals and provided three assists in 27 Ligue 1 matches in France in the past season.
“I see the World Cup as an opportunity for all players to introduce themselves to the world.
“I performed well last season and I will be able to prove that in this World Cup,” Schulz said, building up to the competition.
- Bafana Bafana are focusing on a crucial must-win match against the Czech Republic.
- The game will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
- This match is part of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup competition.
- The South African team aims to advance by defeating a strong Czech side.
- Further details are available in the full story via Sunday World's e-edition.
Bafana’s return to the highest football destiny 16 years later took a negative turn when they lost to World Cup co-host Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium on
Forget about how they secured one of the last remaining spots in the World Cup; Czechia is traditionally a European powerhouse that has several quality players who can hurt their opponents on any given day.
In October last year, coach Ivan Hasek was sacked after the disappointing 2-1 defeat against Faroe
However, they managed to turn the corner after the appointment of Miroslav Koubek about three months before the playoffs.
Tomas Soucek (West Ham United)
Despite West Ham succumbing to relegation in the Premier League, Tomas Soucek established himself as one of the top players for the Hammers over the years.
He is a constant threat and forms a formidable part of the Czechia dead-ball situation danger against the opposition.
Ladislav Krejć (Wolverhampton)
Apart from that, he is certainly a player to watch and will also be a threat to the Bafana defence during set plays with his strong presence inside the box.
Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen)
Arguably, the best player in the Czech team, Patrik Schick, is a player Broos and his technical team will be paying a lot of attention to in their planning.
Pavel Schulz (Olympique Lyon)
Like they always say in football, most games are won in the middle of the park, and Pavel Schulz will be in the thick of things. It is hoped that he will pull all the strings with his creative passing that is able to unlock many teams.
“I see the World Cup as an opportunity for all players to introduce themselves to the world.
“I performed well last season and I will be able to prove that in this World Cup,” Schulz said, building up to the competition.
