Czech Republic return to the World Cup after a 20-year wait.
The Czechs make just their second appearance as an independent nation (post-1993) after a pair of thrilling penalty shootout wins over the Republic of Ireland and Denmark in March.
The old Czechslovakia has a rich World Cup history, finishing as runner-ups twice, and that legacy hangs over the modern team, who are looking to make their mark this summer.
2006 saw a disappointing group stage exit and topping that will be the primary ambition. Can they?
Czech Republic odds to win the World Cup
Unlike in the early-to-mid 2000s, this is not a Czech golden generation and their odds are not a surprise.
However, they have shown themselves to be more than capable when it matters most and their penalty prowess could come in handy as the tournament progresses.
Czech Republic odds to win Group A
| Team | Odds from Bet365 | Odds from Sky Bet |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| Czech Republic | 9/4 | 5/2 |
| South Korea | 10/3 | 11/4 |
| South Africa | 12/1 | 11/1 |
The Czechs are in a relatively weak group with hosts Mexico favourites to finish in first place. It is likely to be a battle for second place between Miroslav Koubek’s men, South Africa and South Korea.
READ MORE: Czech Republic World Cup 2026 fixtures, key players and tactical analysis here
Czech Republic stage of elimination odds
The bookmakers think that Czech Republic should make it out of Group A, with odds of 11/4 for them to be eliminated at the first hurdle. They might have to rely on the third-place qualifying place, though, with South Korea and Mexico both looking like stiff opposition.
A Round of 32 exit looks the most likely outcome, based on the bookies prices at least. If Czech Republic do manage to win the group they will take on one of the third-placed teams from Group C/E/F/H/I, while a second-place finish in Group A would see them clash with the runners-up in Group B, one of Canada, Switzerland, Bosnia-Herzegovina or Qatar.
If Czech Republic finish third in Group A, and that proves enough to take them through, their route to the final becomes much more unclear, with their Round of 32 opponents being either the winners of Group E or the winners of Group G.
| Stage of elimination | Odds from Bet365 |
|---|---|
| Group stage | 11/4 |
| Round of 32 | 10/11 |
| Round of 16 | 3/1 |
| Quarter-final | 12/1 |
| Semi-final | 33/1 |
| Runners-up | 125/1 |
| Winners | 300/1 |
Czech Republic World Cup top goalscorer odds
Unsurprisingly, Patrik Schick is the sole Czech player in the market to win the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup. His odds of between 80/1 and 125/1 don’t offer much hope that he’ll take home the award.
The Bayer Leverkusen forward is a prolific goalscorer both at club and international level – at the time of writing he has 25 goals to his name in 52 caps for his country.
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