2026 World Cup Picks: South Korea vs. Czechia (Thursday)
Opening Day of the 2026 World Cup is Thursday, and four teams in Group A are ready to kick off the tournament. Below, I explain why Mexico will be too much for South Africa to overcome. Then, I highlight the betting angles for South Korea versus Czechia. Here are the best 2026 World Cup picks for Thursday, June 11th’s game South Korea vs. Czechia.
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Thursday’s Best 2026 World Cup Picks: South Korea vs. Czechia
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
South Korea vs. Czechia
While the first match in Group A is destined to be a blowout, the second match is a total toss-up.
At FanDuel Sportsbook, South Korea (+360) and Czechia (+380) have nearly identical odds to win Group A. With South Africa expected to be out of the mix, this game is important for earning a shot at competing with Mexico for the group title.
However, I don't think much will be resolved in this match. South Korea is a slight favorite, but a draw is currently priced at +210. That's the second-lowest price for a draw for any opening matchup.
I can't help but feel like this all makes sense. South Korea has been an inconsistent side for the last 12 months. They defeated Paraguay 2-0 last October, but they lost 4-0 to the Ivory Coast in late March.
South Korea enters this match 3-0-2 in their last five, but two of their wins were over El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago, both of whom didn't qualify for the tournament.
But Czechia hasn't been much better. The last two qualifying games for Czechia ended in ties against Denmark and the Republic of Ireland. Ultimately, Czechia advanced thanks to penalty kicks, but I'm not going to act like they’re a hot team entering this tournament.
And while Czechia won back-to-back matches entering this one, those performances were far from convincing against Guatemala and Kosovo.
Pick: Draw (+210)