Group K Preview
Cristiano Ronaldo arrives for his sixth World Cup and still chasing the one trophy that has always escaped him. That story alone makes Group K must-watch viewing.
But Portugal have company worth taking seriously. Colombia arrive with James Rodriguez chasing one final moment of glory, DR Congo are back for the first time in 52 years with a squad packed full of Premier League talent, and debutants Uzbekistan – managed by a World Cup-winning Ballon d’Or winner, no less – are here to prove Asia’s growing weight on the global stage.
We take a look at each team in detail.
World Cup Group K fixtures and where to watch
Here’s the full list of fixtures. Matches with an asterisk start the previous day.
| Match | Date | Start Time (BST) | ET | PT | Venue | UK TV Channel |
| Portugal vs DR Congo | Wed, June 17 | 18:00 | 13:00 | 10:00 | Houston | BBC, iPlayer |
| Uzbekistan vs Colombia | Thu, June 18 | 03:00 | 22:00* | 19:00* | Mexico City | BBC, iPlayer |
| Portugal vs Uzbekistan | Tue, June 23 | 18:00 | 13:00 | 10:00 | Houston | ITV, ITVX |
| Colombia vs DR Congo | Wed, June 24 | 03:00 | 22:00* | 19:00* | Zapopan | ITV, ITVX |
| Colombia vs Portugal | Sun, June 28 | 00:30 | 19:30* | 16:30* | Miami | BBC, iPlayer |
| DR Congo vs Uzbekistan | Sun, June 28 | 00:30 | 19:30* | 16:30* | Atlanta | BBC, iPlayer |
Here, we take a look at the teams in detail.
Colombia: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction
Coach: Nestor Lorenzo
Qualification: CONMEBOL qualifiers (3rd)
Best World Cup: Quarter-finals (2014)
Colombia are back. They missed Qatar 2022 entirely, a humiliation for one of South America’s most expressive footballing nations. They will not waste the opportunity to make their presence felt this time.
Nestor Lorenzo guided Colombia to third in the CONMEBOL table, finishing above Uruguay and Brazil on goal difference.
Luis Diaz arrives from Bayern Munich having scored seven goals in qualifying, only Messi bettered that tally across all of CONMEBOL.
The midfield carries serious quality too. Richard Rios (Benfica) and Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace) provide the engine room, while Jorge Carrascal and Juan Fernando Quintero offer creativity from deeper positions.
Cucho Hernandez, now at Real Betis, gives Lorenzo a dynamic option in attack capable of dropping in or running in behind.
Colombia Star Player: James Rodriguez’ last dance
James Rodriguez won the Golden Boot with six goals at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, a tally that alone makes him Colombia’s all-time leading scorer at the finals.
He also provided the most assists, seven, of any player across the entire 2026 CONMEBOL qualifying campaign.
He managed fewer than 200 minutes of football for Minnesota United before leaving for the national team camp, but when this man is on it at a World Cup, there are few more gifted players on the planet.
Prediction: Colombia make the knockouts
The final group game against Portugal in Miami is the one that matters. If Colombia arrive there with four points already banked, they will go toe-to-toe with Ronaldo and co. knowing a draw could be enough. Expect them to make it.
DR Congo: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction
Coach: Sebastien Desabre
Qualification: Inter-confederation playoffs (Path 1 winner)
Best World Cup: Group stage (1974, as Zaire)
Fifty-two years. That is how long the Leopards have been waiting to return to football’s biggest stage.
DR Congo’s road to the 2026 World Cup was one of the most unconventional qualifying campaigns in history, eventually coming through the inter-confederation playoffs to book their place, the last team to confirm their spot, as recently as March 31, 2026.
Coach Sebastien Desabre has assembled a squad that reflects the Congolese diaspora across Europe. Yoane Wissa, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Noah Sadiki, and Axel Tuanzebe all played 2025-26 in the Premier League.
Veteran striker Cedric Bakambu (Real Betis) brings big-game nous, with 21 international goals to his name. Captain Chancel Mbemba, the former Newcastle and Marseille centre-back now at Lille, holds the defensive line with 107 caps of experience.
DR Congo star player: Wissa to light up the World Cup
The Newcastle winger is the Leopards’ dangerman, fast, lethal in front of goal, and riding the back of five brilliant Premier League seasons.
Wissa returns to the national setup after missing the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and will be desperate to put down a marker on the biggest stage of all.
Prediction: DR Congo push for knockouts
With eight third-placed teams advancing, one win would be enough to guarantee passage to a Round of 32. The Uzbekistan fixture is there for the taking. An upset against Colombia is entirely possible. This is not a team just here to make up the numbers
Portugal: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction
Coach: Roberto Martinez
Qualification: UEFA Group F winners
Best World Cup: Third place (1966)
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is heading to a record sixth World Cup, chasing the one major trophy that has always escaped him.
Roberto Martinez has named a 26-man squad that blends the immense experience of Ronaldo with the prime years of stars like Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias.
This is not a one-man team. Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, and Rafael Leao headline a group built to finally win it. Portugal arrive as FIFA’s fifth-ranked team and reigning Nations League champions.
Seven players come from the Premier League and four from treble winners Paris Saint-Germain.
The squad also carries a symbolic place dedicated to Diogo Jota, the former forward who died in a car accident last July, a sombre reminder of what this squad and this nation have been through.
Ronaldo is available for all group matches after avoiding a three-game suspension from a red card in a World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in November.
Star Player: Ronaldo’s final chapter
Ronaldo arrives knowing this could be his final chance to lift football’s golden trophy.
He passed 940 career goals for club and country during the 2025-26 season and is chasing the 1,000-goal milestone.
For Portugal alone he has scored 143 international goals, more than any man in history.
The debate about whether he helps or hinders the team tactically will rage all summer. It always does. And every summer, he tends to make the argument irrelevant.
Prediction: Portugal breeze through
This group was made for Portugal and they should top it comfortably. The real test begins in the knockouts, and by then, Ronaldo will be fully wound up.
Uzbekistan: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction
Coach: Fabio Cannavaro
Qualification: AFC third round Group A runners-up
Best World Cup: First appearance
Thirty-four years of trying. A nation of 38 million people finally getting to say: we are at the World Cup.
Since gaining independence following the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, Uzbekistan had failed in seven previous attempts to qualify for the World Cup.
This time, they made it. Fabio Cannavaro took charge in 2024, bringing the mentality of a man who captained Italy to the 2006 World Cup and won the Ballon d’Or.
Uzbekistan were magnificent in qualifying, losing just one of their 16 matches, a record that demands respect this summer.
Fifteen of the 26 squad members play in the Uzbekistan Super League, giving the group a coherence and familiarity that the bigger nations may initially underestimate. Khusanov is the sole representative from elite European football.
Star Player: Deadly duo ready to go
With 43 goals in 88 caps, Shomurodov has scored 11 international goals more than any other player in Uzbekistan’s history.
He has enjoyed a highly productive loan spell at Istanbul Basaksehir, scoring 13 times in 18 appearances heading into the tournament.
Abdukodir Khusanov at Manchester City gives Uzbekistan the most recognisable name to English eyes, but Shomurodov is the heartbeat.
Prediction: Uzbekistan fight but fall short
The Uzbekistan vs DR Congo finale on June 28 in Atlanta could be the defining match of this group for both sides.
Neither can afford to lose it. Cannavaro will have his team organised, disciplined and dangerous on the counter. Don’t write them off.
Predicted World Cup 2026 Group K table
| Wins | Draws | Losses | Points | |
| Portugal | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Colombia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| DR Congo | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Uzbekistan | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
