Czechia is one of the most intriguing teams in the 2026 World Cup, kicking off the group stage alongside Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa. Currently sitting at 40th in the FIFA rankings, the team jumped three spots since the latest update on June 11, 2026.
In the rankings, Czechia sits just above Paraguay and Scotland, two other teams that also made the World Cup. On the bright side, Czechia enters the tournament riding a wave of momentum with five straight wins across qualifiers and recent friendlies.
Czechia has long been a national team fighting to maintain its status among the elite, especially after finally returning to a tournament of this caliber after failing to qualify from 2010 through 2022.
What was Czechia’s highest FIFA ranking ever?
The highest ranking Czechia ever reached was 2nd, a spot it held multiple times in its history. The team first earned the honor of being considered the world’s second-best national team between 1999 and 2000. It recaptured that spot between April and May of 2005, and then again for a five-month stretch in 2006.
Czechia has never won a World Cup, but it is always dangerous to see a team with that kind of historical pedigree finding its footing. The team hasn’t moved past the group stage since 1990, but things could be different this time around with a squad primarily made up of players from its domestic soccer league.
Regardless, Czechia and the other national teams don’t have a guaranteed finish at the 2026 World Cup. The FIFA rankings serve as a solid reference point, but the top-ranked team rarely walks away with the trophy. Instead, it’s usually the underdogs flying under the radar who make the deepest runs.
