FILE - Czech Republic's coach Ivan Hasek reacts during a World Cup 2026 group L qualifying soccer match between Croatia and Czech Republic at the Opus Arena in Osijek, Croatia, on June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic, File)
Republished October 15, 2025 - 7:46 AM
Original Publication Date October 15, 2025 - 4:46 AM
PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech Football Association fired coach Ivan Hašek on Wednesday following a humiliating 2-1 defeat to Faroe Islands in World Cup qualifying.
It was not immediately clear who would replace Hašek.
Czech FA president David Trunda said a coach would be named to lead the team until the end of the qualifying campaign. A foreign coach is then likely to take over on a permanent basis.
Former Czech great Pavel Nedved has been asked to compile a list of potential candidates.
Sunday’s upset loss against the Faroes, a territory with a population of 55,000, was the biggest for the Czechs in qualifying for a major tournament since a 1-0 away defeat to Luxembourg in the European Championship 30 years ago. Back then, they still qualified for the finals in England.
The Czechs can still qualify for the 2026 World Cup. They have to beat another minnow, Gibraltar, in their final match on Nov. 17 to secure second spot in Group L and advance to the European playoffs in March.
Under Hašek, the Czechs were eliminated at the group stage of the 2024 European Championship but then won their group in the Nations League and advanced to the top-tier League A that starts next September.
(Corrects Luxembourg defeat in paragraph 5 to 30 years ago, not 20 years)
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