Group Okay Preview
Cristiano Ronaldo arrives for his sixth World Cup and nonetheless chasing the one trophy that has at all times escaped him. That story alone makes Group Okay must-watch viewing.
However Portugal have firm price taking severely. Colombia arrive with James Rodriguez chasing one last second of glory, DR Congo are again for the primary time in 52 years with a squad packed filled with Premier League expertise, and debutants Uzbekistan – managed by a World Cup-winning Ballon d’Or winner, no much less – are right here to show Asia’s rising weight on the worldwide stage.
We check out every crew intimately.
World Cup Group Okay fixtures and the place to observe
Right here’s the complete checklist of fixtures. Matches with an asterisk begin the day gone by.
| Match | Date | Begin 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 Metropolis | 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 | Solar, June 28 | 00:30 | 19:30* | 16:30* | Miami | BBC, iPlayer |
| DR Congo vs Uzbekistan | Solar, June 28 | 00:30 | 19:30* | 16:30* | Atlanta | BBC, iPlayer |
Right here, we check out the groups intimately.
Colombia: 2026 World Cup preview, star participant, prediction
Coach: Nestor Lorenzo
Qualification: CONMEBOL qualifiers (third)
Greatest World Cup: Quarter-finals (2014)
Colombia are again. They missed Qatar 2022 solely, a humiliation for considered one of South America’s most expressive footballing nations. They won’t waste the chance to make their presence felt this time.
Nestor Lorenzo guided Colombia to 3rd within the CONMEBOL desk, ending above Uruguay and Brazil on aim distinction.
Luis Diaz arrives from Bayern Munich having scored seven objectives in qualifying, solely Messi bettered that tally throughout all of CONMEBOL.
The midfield carries severe high quality too. Richard Rios (Benfica) and Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace) present the engine room, whereas Jorge Carrascal and Juan Fernando Quintero supply creativity from deeper positions.
Cucho Hernandez, now at Actual Betis, offers Lorenzo a dynamic choice in assault able to dropping in or operating in behind.
Colombia Star Participant: James Rodriguez’ final dance
James Rodriguez received the Golden Boot with six objectives on the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, a tally that alone makes him Colombia’s all-time main scorer on the finals.
He additionally supplied essentially the most assists, seven, of any participant throughout your complete 2026 CONMEBOL qualifying marketing campaign.
He managed fewer than 200 minutes of soccer for Minnesota United earlier than leaving for the nationwide crew camp, however when this man is on it at a World Cup, there are few extra gifted gamers on the planet.
Prediction: Colombia make the knockouts
The ultimate group recreation in opposition to Portugal in Miami is the one which issues. If Colombia arrive there with 4 factors already banked, they are going to go toe-to-toe with Ronaldo and co. understanding a draw might be sufficient. Count on them to make it.
DR Congo: 2026 World Cup preview, star participant, prediction
Coach: Sebastien Desabre
Qualification: Inter-confederation playoffs (Path 1 winner)
Greatest World Cup: Group stage (1974, as Zaire)
Fifty-two years. That’s how lengthy the Leopards have been ready to return to soccer’s greatest stage.
DR Congo’s street to the 2026 World Cup was one of the vital unconventional qualifying campaigns in historical past, finally coming by the inter-confederation playoffs to guide their place, the final crew to substantiate their spot, as lately as March 31, 2026.
Coach Sebastien Desabre has assembled a squad that displays the Congolese diaspora throughout Europe. Yoane Wissa, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Noah Sadiki, and Axel Tuanzebe all performed 2025-26 within the Premier League.
Veteran striker Cedric Bakambu (Actual Betis) brings big-game nous, with 21 worldwide objectives to his identify. Captain Chancel Mbemba, the previous Newcastle and Marseille centre-back now at Lille, holds the line of defense with 107 caps of expertise.
DR Congo star participant: Wissa to gentle up the World Cup
The Newcastle winger is the Leopards’ dangerman, quick, deadly in entrance of aim, and driving the again of 5 sensible Premier League seasons.
Wissa returns to the nationwide setup after lacking the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and might be determined to place down a marker on the largest 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 |
