Group K

Portugal's last dance with Ronaldo?

At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo could become the oldest outfield player in World Cup history if he features in 2026. Portugal's golden generation is fading — Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes will be 31, João Cancelo 32. Roberto Martínez must balance legacy picks with emerging talent like António Silva and João Neves. Their opener against DR Congo in Vancouver sets the tone: physical battles against Chancel Mbemba’s backline will test their aging core.

DR Congo's aerial siege

The Leopards qualified for the first time since 1974 (as Zaire) with a squad built for set pieces. Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Galatasaray’s Cédric Bakambu lead the line, while 6'4" center-back Chancel Mbemba dominates both boxes. Their match against Uzbekistan in Guadalajara could decide third-place hopes — a draw might not be enough with Colombia lurking.

Uzbekistan's golden generation gamble

Asian Cup semifinalists in 2023, Uzbekistan rely on CSKA Moscow’s Abbosbek Fayzullaev and Rubin Kazan’s Rustamjon Ashurmatov. Coach Srečko Katanec has drilled a compact 5-4-1, but their lack of World Cup experience shows in crucial moments. Facing Colombia first in Mexico City is brutal — James Rodríguez still dictates tempo at 34, while Luis Díaz’s pace exploits high defensive lines.

Colombia's revenge tour

Missing Qatar 2022 stung. Now with Radamel Falcao retired, Luis Díaz and Jhon Durán bring verticality. Their key battle comes against Portugal in Seattle — a win could let them avoid Brazil in the knockouts. Nestor Lorenzo’s side must start fast: three of their last four World Cup campaigns ended in group stage heartbreak.

Standings

#	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	DR Congo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Colombia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Portugal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Uzbekistan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Fixtures

Match	Date	Group	Score	Status
Portugal vs DR CongoEstadio Houston	Wed, Jun 17, 2026 · 18:00 ET	k	–	Scheduled
Uzbekistan vs ColombiaEstadio Ciudad de México	Thu, Jun 18, 2026 · 03:00 ET	k	–	Scheduled
Portugal vs UzbekistanEstadio Houston	Tue, Jun 23, 2026 · 18:00 ET	k	–	Scheduled
Colombia vs DR CongoEstadio Guadalajara	Wed, Jun 24, 2026 · 03:00 ET	k	–	Scheduled
Colombia vs PortugalEstadio Miami	Sun, Jun 28, 2026 · 00:30 ET	k	–	Scheduled
DR Congo vs UzbekistanEstadio Atlanta	Sun, Jun 28, 2026 · 00:30 ET	k	–	Scheduled

Qualification rules

Top two in Group K advance to the Round of 32. Third place enters the pool of twelve third-placed teams; the best eight on points, goal difference, and goals scored join the knockout bracket.

Scenarios

Use the predictor below to test scorelines. A win is three points, a draw one. Goal difference matters when points are level.