Mexico City, June 24 (IANS) Mexico will play their final Group A match with the comfort of knowing their place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage is already secured, while Czechia arrive in Mexico City facing a win-or-bust scenario on Thursday.

The co-hosts have made an ideal start to their campaign, collecting maximum points from their first two outings to seal top spot in the group with a match to spare. Victories over South Africa and South Korea have ensured Javier Aguirre's men cannot be caught, allowing them to approach the contest without the pressure that accompanies a qualification battle.

That luxury does not extend to Czechia. With only one point from two matches, the Europeans find themselves in a precarious position after letting valuable leads slip away against both South Korea and South Africa. Those missed opportunities have left Miroslav Koubek's side with little room for error heading into the final round of group fixtures.

While the expanded tournament format offers some third-placed teams a route into the knockout rounds, Czechia know that a draw is unlikely to be sufficient. Victory remains the clearest and most realistic path to progression.

Mexico, meanwhile, may take the opportunity to rotate players and conserve energy ahead of the Round of 32, particularly given the competition's demanding schedule. However, the hosts will also be eager to maintain momentum and deliver a stronger attacking display after relying on efficiency rather than flair in their opening two wins.

Despite their difficult position, Czechia has shown resilience throughout the tournament and is expected to provide a stern challenge. The visitors have no option but to chase three points, while Mexico seeks to carry an unbeaten record into the knockout phase.

How to watch Czechia vs Mexico live in India

Live streaming and live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 football matches will be available on the Zee5 platform and app in India. A subscription will be needed.

Live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on the Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.

Key details

Date and kick-off time: Thursday, June 25, 06:30 AM (IST)

Venue: Mexico City Stadium, Mexico

Referee: Yael Falcón Pérez

Squads:

Czechia -

Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek, Matej Kovar, Jindrich Stanek

Defenders: Vladimir Coufal, David Doudera, Tomas Holes, Robin Hranac, Stepan Chaloupek, David Jurasek, Ladislav, Jaroslav Zeleny, David Zima

Midfielders: Lukas Cerv, Vladimir Darida, Lukas Provod, Michal Sadilek, Hugo Sochurek, Alexandr Sojka, Tomas Soucek, Pavel Sulc, Denis Visinsky

Forwards: Adam Hlozek, Tomas Chory, Mojmir Chytil, Jan Kuchta, Patrik Schick

Mexico -

Goalkeepers: Carlos Acevedo, Guillermo Ochoa, Raul Rangel.

Defenders: Edson Alvarez, Israel Reyes, Jesus Gallardo, Johan Vasquez, Jorge Sanchez, Mateo Chavez.

Midfielders: Alvaro Fidalgo, Brian Gutierrez, Erik Lira, Gilberto Mora, Luis Romo, Obed Vargas, Orbelin Pineda.

Forwards: Alexis Vega, Armando Gonzalez, Cesar Huerta, Guillermo Martinez, Julian Quinones, Raul Jimenez, Santiago Gimenez

--IANS

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