The Czech Republic continues their FIFA World Cup preparations with a friendly match against Guatemala at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Friday, 5 June 2026, at 07:00 WIB.
This European side will be making their first appearance on the global stage in two decades, and thorough preparation is essential. Tactical adjustments and rhythm-building are expected to be their main priorities this week.
Los Chapines, on the other hand, do not have a major tournament ahead and will be looking to start the international break on a positive note.
The Czech Republic finished second in their World Cup qualifying group, six points behind group winners Croatia but four points clear of the Faroe Islands in third place.
Nároďák then advanced through the play-offs, showing composure in penalty shootouts to defeat the Republic of Ireland and Denmark after both matches ended 2-2 in regular time.
The Czech team began their tournament preparations with a 2-1 win against Kosovo on Sunday, and head coach Miroslav Koubek will be eager to maintain the positive atmosphere within the squad with another win on Thursday before launching their World Cup campaign against South Korea next week.
Guatemala’s wait for their first World Cup appearance continues after they failed to progress beyond the third round of CONCACAF qualification, finishing third in Group A, just one point behind the top two teams.
Their most recent outing was in late March, when they suffered a heavy 7-0 defeat to Algeria at Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Italy.
That result marked their heaviest loss since a similar 7-0 defeat to Israel nearly eight years ago. The team will travel to New Jersey this week determined to make amends.
Czech striker Patrik Schick is almost certain to be included in the starting lineup after missing out against Kosovo. The Bayer Leverkusen forward could be partnered by Adam Hlozek and Pavel Sulc.
West Ham United’s Tomas Soucek is expected to play as a double pivot alongside Lukas Cerv, with both players aiming for their 90th and 17th international caps respectively.
Robin Hranac is projected to start at the World Cup, and in preparation for the tournament, he will likely form part of a three-man defence with Stepan Chaloupek and Ladislav Krejci.
If Guatemala deploys a back four, Jose Pinto and Marcelo Hernandez are expected to line up as central defenders.
The centre-backs will likely be shielded by midfielders Stheven Robles and Jose Rosales, while Olger Escobar could provide attacking support to striker Darwin Lom.
Czech Republic: Kovar; Chaloupek, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Cerv, Soucek, Sojka; Sulc, Hlozek; Schick
Guatemala: Navarro; Yanes, Pinto, Hernandez, Morales; Robles, Rosales; Santis, Escobar, Munoz; Lom
We back Nároďák to secure an easy victory due to their superior squad quality, although manager Miroslav Koubek will likely prioritise performance levels over the result itself.
Meanwhile, Guatemala will mainly aim to deliver a better display following their poor showing in Genoa last time out.
Predicted Score: Czech Republic 3-0 Guatemala
The contrasting form of both nations makes the Czech Republic clear favourites, especially given Guatemala’s recent struggles.
The Czechs will look to enter the World Cup on a high note, and it would not be surprising if they come away with a convincing win.
Predicted Score: Czech Republic 3-0 Guatemala
The Czech Republic are expected to field most of their key players, including Patrik Schick, Tomas Soucek, Adam Hlozek, and Pavel Sulc, to build chemistry ahead of the World Cup. Their focus will not just be on winning but also on fine-tuning their game rhythm.
Guatemala will be eager to bounce back from their humiliating defeat to Algeria, but the gap in individual quality and tactical organisation between the two sides remains significant.
The Czech midfield, led by Soucek, has the ability to control the tempo and dominate physical duels, which could trouble Guatemala throughout the match.
As this is a friendly, coach Miroslav Koubek is likely to make several substitutions in the second half, which might reduce the attacking intensity and prevent a big-margin victory.
Predicted Score: Czech Republic 2-0 Guatemala
