⚽ Czechia vs. South Africa Prediction: World Cup Picks & Best Bets (June 18)
My best Czechia vs. South Africa prediction for Thursday's game focuses on South Africa's inability to create chances. Both of these teams are in desperate need of a win, but in my World Cup predictions, I highlight why Tomas Soucek and Czechia are far better positioned to emerge victorious.
This Group A match will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with kickoff set for noon ET (FOX, Telemundo, Peacock).
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⚽ Czechia vs. South Africa predictions: Pick to win & player prop bets
See all of our experts' soccer picks across the best World Cup betting sites.
| 💰 Best bets | 📊 Best odds | ⚖️ Wager (units) |
|---|---|---|
| Czechia moneyline | -130 via DraftKings | 2u -> 1.54u |
| South Africa Under 0.5 goals | +134 via FanDuel | 2u -> 2.68u |
| Czechia Over 13.5 shots | -120 via DraftKings | 1u -> 0.83u |
⚽ Who will win Czechia vs. South Africa?
Both teams fell in their first World Cup matches, but Czechia looked like the far more promising squad. They held a brief lead over South Korea in the second half before allowing two goals in the final 25 minutes of play.
Czechia held possession for just 38% of the match against South Korea, but I expect that number to be closer to 60% in this match. South Africa did essentially nothing offensively against Mexico, with just two shots on goal and 0.07 expected goals. That's now six consecutive matches with one or fewer goals for them.
Score prediction: Czechia 2, South Africa 0
💵 My best bet: South Africa Under 0.5 goals (+134)
It's hard to ignore how lifeless the South Africa offense was against Mexico. They took just three shots, recorded only one successful cross, and forced just one corner.
Considering South Africa has been shut out in two of their last three games, scoring only once in their other contest, I'll gladly take this Under for +134. And while Czechia hasn't recorded a shutout this year, they held six of their last nine opponents of 2025 to zero goals.
🦶 Who will score in Czechia vs. South Africa?
Follow all of our expert soccer betting analysis for the 2026 World Cup.
Tomas Soucek, M, Czechia (+390)
Czechia attempted only eight shots in their first game, with four of those attempts coming from midfielders. While Soucek only attempted one shot, and it wasn't on target, he has scored five Premier League goals this season. He's a serious threat from anywhere on the field, and considering the Czechia offense struggled to put together meaningful attacks against Mexico, I want a longer shot for this play, even against a weak opponent.
Best Czechia vs. South Africa goal-scorer pick: Tomas Soucek (+390 via DraftKings)
🥅 Will both teams score in Czechia vs. South Africa?
Since my best bet of the game is for South Africa to finish without a goal, I don't expect both teams to score. That said, oddsmakers are much more split on this prop than I am, so there is actually quite a bit of value to be had in taking No for -120. Still, I would avoid making this play, since South Africa is the more likely team to not score and Under 0.5 goals is +126 for them.
Both teams to score (BTTS) pick: No (-120 via DraftKings)
💡 How to bet on both teams to score (BTTS)
Our soccer expert Jeremy Vernon broke down how to bet BTTS at the World Cup with a full history and statistical analysis of the popular prop betting market across more than 7,000 matches.
📊 Czechia vs. South Africa odds
We're tracking the latest World Cup odds and favorites to win this year's tournament.
📺 How to watch Czechia vs. South Africa
- Date: Thursday, June 18
- Kickoff: Noon ET
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
- TV: FOX, Telemundo
- Streaming: Peacock
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