Why Czech Republic Are Now Called Czechia at the 2026 World Cup
- Czech Republic returned to the World Cup after 20 years but competed under the FIFA-recognised name Czechia
- The country changed its English sporting identity to Czechia after a government-backed name update approved by the UN
- Czechia face a difficult Group A campaign against South Korea, South Africa and co-hosts Mexico
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Czech Republic began their first FIFA World Cup campaign in two decades when they faced South Korea in Group A, but fans noticed one major difference from their previous appearance at the tournament.
The nation entered the 2026 World Cup under a different name, with FIFA officially recognising the team as Czechia instead of Czech Republic.
Czechia suffered a 2-1 defeat to South Korea in their opening match of the tournament, with the Asian side securing a vital win after a determined second-half comeback.
Source: Getty Images
Czechia return to World Cup stage after 20 years
Czechia were handed a challenging Group A draw, joining South Korea, South Africa and co-hosts Mexico in one of the tournament’s opening sections.
The opening group traditionally gets the World Cup underway, meaning Czechia’s players received an early test of what competing on football’s biggest stage demands.
Their squad is also entering a new era, with no player from their 2006 World Cup team remaining in the current setup. Their oldest player, 35-year-old midfielder Vladimir Darida, would have only been 15 years old when the nation last competed at the tournament in Germany.
Most of the squad, including star striker Patrik Schick, already have experience at major international competitions, with the country qualifying for every European Championship since 1996.
Czechia are considered one of the most successful nations never to have won the World Cup. Their football history is linked to Czechoslovakia, which FIFA recognises as the predecessor of both Czechia and Slovakia and which finished as World Cup runners-up in 1934 and 1962.
The team is now entering its third identity in international football after previously competing as Czech Republic during their last World Cup appearance.
Why FIFA changed Czech Republic to Czechia
The name change comes after the Czech government decided in April 2026 to promote the use of Czechia as the country’s English-language short name, a move later approved by the United Nations.
According to a statement from the UK government’s Permanent Committee on Geographical Names (PCGN), the decision was made because promoting the name Czechia would “reduce confusion for English speakers” while also strengthening the country’s identity and economy.
As a result, FIFA now recognises Czechia as the official sporting identity for both the men’s and women’s national teams.
However, the country’s official state name remains the Czech Republic for formal government and diplomatic purposes.
Czechia is also used in sporting, literary, musical and media contexts, which is why the name appears during international competitions.
Czechia’s remaining World Cup fixtures
After opening their tournament against South Korea in Guadalajara, Czechia will face South Africa on June 18 in the second round of Group A matches.
They will then meet co-hosts Mexico in the early hours of June 25 in Mexico City.
Their match against South Africa will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, meaning Czechia face a demanding travel schedule during the group stage.
The team is expected to cover around 3,100 miles in total travel from their training base in North Texas and back, although that distance is not unusual compared with some other nations.
England, for example, are expected to cover a similar amount of ground across their three group-stage matches at the tournament.
Source: YEN.com.gh
