Mexico secure historic group stage dominance as Czechia exit World Cup
Alvaro Fidalgo seals 3-0 victory, but homophobic chants mar milestone occasion for Guillermo Ochoa and Gilberto Mora
Mexico have secured a historic first by winning all three of their 2026 FIFA World Cup group-stage matches, topping Group A with nine points after a 3-0 victory over Czechia. The result, confirmed by goals from Mateo Chavez, Julian Quinones, and Alvaro Fidalgo, eliminates Czechia from the tournament and guarantees the co-hosts’ progression to the knockout stages.
The decisive match saw Chavez, a 22-year-old making his World Cup debut, open the scoring in the 55th minute. Quinones doubled the lead just six minutes later with his second goal of the tournament, before Fidalgo added a third in second-half stoppage time. The victory marks a significant institutional improvement for the national side, surpassing their previous best group-stage performance of two wins and one draw, achieved in 1986 and 2002.
The match was also defined by contrasting generational milestones within the Mexican squad. Seventeen-year-old Gilberto Mora became the youngest player to start a World Cup match for Mexico, while veteran goalkeeper Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa, aged 40, entered the pitch in the 77th minute. Ochoa’s appearance made him only the third player in history, alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, to feature in six World Cups.
Despite the sporting success, the event was marred by reports of discriminatory conduct from the stands. Fans at Azteca Stadium were heard chanting a homophobic slur directed at Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar during goal kicks. The chant, which has persisted since the 2014 World Cup, has previously resulted in substantial fines for the Mexican Football Federation, with FIFA levying hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties for similar incidents in 2014, 2018, and 2022.
Czechia finish fourth in Group A with a single point, having drawn 1-1 against South Africa in their final group fixture. South Africa advance to the knockout stages as runners-up and will face co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles. Mexico, now confirmed as Group A winners, will host their Round of 32 match at Azteca Stadium against a third-placed team from Groups C, E, F, H, or I.
