World Cup 2026: Miroslav Koubek leaves the Czech team after the elimination.

The adventure of Miroslav Koubek at the helm of the Czech Republic has come to an end. Following the team’s exit in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, the 74-year-old coach submitted his resignation. The Czechs finished at the bottom of Group A with just one point from three matches, behind Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa, which was insufficient to qualify for the round of 16.

Appointed only a few months before the qualifying play-offs for the World Cup, Koubek had nonetheless succeeded in qualifying his team for the final phase. Under his direction, the Czech Republic had successively eliminated the Republic of Ireland and then Denmark in penalty shootouts, ending a twenty-year absence from the global stage. Despite this historic qualification, the Czechs’ journey ended in the first round, prompting the coach to end his tenure.

Miroslav Koubek thus becomes the third coach to leave his post since the beginning of the competition. He joins Steve Clarke, who resigned after Scotland’s elimination, and Hong Myung-bo, who left the South Korean national team after his team failed to advance past the group stage. These departures illustrate the pressure that accompanies underperformance in a World Cup, where early exits often lead to changes in national team leadership.