West Ham United midfielder Tomáš Souček will captain Czechia in their final 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L qualifier at home to Gibraltar after being called-up by head coach Jaroslav Köstl.
The four-time Czech Footballer of the Year is West Ham’s second most-capped international player in the Club’s history, behind only England legend Bobby Moore. Souček has won 60 caps for his country since joining from Slavia Prague in January 2020, while Moore won 108 between 1962-73.
Captain of his national team since 2021, Souček has 85 caps and 15 goals in total and appeared for Czechia at UEFA Euro 2020 and 2024, and he now wants to lead them to their first FIFA World Cup finals appearance since 2006.
Czechia go into their final qualifier second in Group L, a point ahead of the Faroe Islands, who travel to leaders Croatia in their own final tie.
The Czechs have an outside chance of finishing top, but only if they defeat Gibraltar heavily and Croatia lose to the Faroe Islands at home and away to Montenegro by big margins in their final two matches.
Whatever happens against Gibraltar in their own final tie, Souček and his compatriots are guaranteed a place in the play-offs by virtue of finishing top of their UEFA Nations League Group earlier this year.
Before their all-important clash against Gibraltar, at 7.45pm GMT on Monday 17 November at SK Sigma Olomouc's Andrův Stadion, Czechia are set to host San Marino in an international friendly. That game is scheduled to take place at 5pm GMT on Thursday 13 November, in Karviná.
