Group K of the 2026 FIFA World Cup brings together European heavyweights Portugal, South American contenders Colombia, Asian debutants Uzbekistan, and the winner of Inter-Confederation Play-off Path 1, to be decided in March 2026 between DR Congo, Jamaica, or New Caledonia.
The group stage will run from June 11 to June 27, 2026, with Group K fixtures scheduled between June 17 and June 27, promising a compelling mix of pedigree, ambition, and new World Cup narratives.
Portugal arrives at the tournament as one of Europe’s strongest sides, making their ninth FIFA World Cup appearance. With a squad packed with experience and talent, attention will once again be on Cristiano Ronaldo, as fans await what could be another defining chapter in his World Cup legacy. Portugal will open their Group K campaign against the Inter-Confederation Play-off Path 1 winner on June 17.
Colombia return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2018, marking their seventh appearance at the tournament. La Tricolor’s best performance came in 2014, when they reached the quarter-finals, and they will be aiming to recapture that momentum in a competitive group.
Uzbekistan make history by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Entering the tournament as debutants, they represent one of the most intriguing storylines in Group K, eager to make a lasting impression on football’s biggest stage.
Group K – Teams
Portugal
World Ranking: 6th (as of January, 2026)
Coach: Roberto Martínez (Since January 2023)
Key Players: Bruno Fernandes (Midfielder, Manchester United), Rafael Leão (Winger, AC Milan), Vitinha (Midfielder, Paris Saint-Germain).
How they got here: Portugal secured their spot by winning Group J of the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) qualification rounds with a perfect record (10 wins in 10 games).
World Cup Performance by Year: 1966 (Third Place, best performance), 1986 (Group stage), 2002 (Group stage), 2006 (Fourth Place), 2010 (Round of 16), 2014 (Group stage), 2018 (Round of 16), 2022 (Quarter-finals).
What Success Looks Like: With a “golden generation” of talent across the pitch, Portugal’s success means finally breaking through the semi-final barrier and reaching the World Cup Final. Lifting their first-ever World Cup trophy would be the ultimate achievement for the nation.
Uzbekistan
World Ranking: 52nd (as of January 2026)
Coach: Fabio Cannavaro (Since October 2025)
Key Players: Eldor Shomurodov (Captain and Istanbul Başakşehir), Abdukodir Khusanov (Defender, Manchester City), Otabek Shukurov (Midfielder, Baniyas).
How they got here: Uzbekistan secured a historic direct qualification to the World Cup by finishing second in their AFC (Asian Football Confederation) qualification group, just two points behind Iran.
World Cup Performance by Year: This is Uzbekistan’s first-ever appearance in the FIFA World Cup.
What Success Looks Like: Success for Uzbekistan would be earning their first-ever World Cup points or a victory. Reaching the knockout stage (Round of 32) would be a monumental achievement for the nation and a major milestone for Central Asian football.
Colombia
World Ranking: 14th (as of January, 2026)
Coach: Néstor Lorenzo (Since July 2022)
Key Players: James Rodríguez (Captain and Club León), Luis Díaz (Winger, Bayern Munich), Jefferson Lerma (Midfielder, Crystal Palace).
How they got here: Colombia qualified by finishing an impressive third in the highly competitive CONMEBOL (South American) qualifiers, securing wins over top teams including Brazil and Argentina.
World Cup Performance by Year: 1962 (Group stage), 1990 (Round of 16), 1994 (Group stage), 1998 (Group stage), 2014 (Quarter-finals, best performance), 2018 (Round of 16).
What Success Looks Like: Currently in top form, success for Colombia would be a deep run to the Quarter-finals or beyond. Reaching their first-ever semi-finals would be an extraordinary achievement for the nation and this talented generation of players.
Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner
World Ranking: To be determined (DR Congo/Jamaica/New Caledonia)
Coach: TBD
Key Players: TBD
How they got here: TBD
World Cup Performance by Year: TBD
What Success Looks Like: TBD (The winner will be decided in March 2026 inter-confederation play-offs; potential teams: DR Congo with stars like Cédric Bakambu, Jamaica with Leon Bailey, or New Caledonia as underdogs.)
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K Fixtures and Dates
All times are in Eastern Time (ET). Venues span the USA and Mexico for Group K.
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, June 17 | 1:00 PM | Portugal vs. Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner | NRG Stadium |
| Wed, June 17 | 8:00 PM | Uzbekistan vs. Colombia | Estadio Azteca |
| Tue, June 23 | 3:00 PM | Portugal vs. Uzbekistan | NRG Stadium |
| Tue, June 23 | 9:00 PM | Colombia vs. Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner | Estadio Akron |
| Sat, June 27 | 3:00 PM | Colombia vs. Portugal | Hard Rock Stadium |
| Sat, June 27 | 3:00 PM | Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner vs. Uzbekistan | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K points table
The standings below will update live during the tournament. Points are awarded as follows: Win = 3, Draw = 1, Loss = 0.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| 1 | Portugal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Congo DR / Jamaica / New Caledonia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Uzbekistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Colombia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Head-to-Head Records & Historical Context
- Portugal vs. Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner: TBD (e.g., vs. DR Congo: limited, Portugal wins; vs. Jamaica: no meetings).
- Portugal vs. Uzbekistan: No official meetings recorded.
- Portugal vs. Colombia: 7 meetings; Portugal wins 3, draws 3, Colombia 1. Most recent: 2019 friendly, 0-0 draw.
- Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner vs. Uzbekistan: TBD.
- Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner vs. Colombia: TBD.
- Uzbekistan vs. Colombia: No official meetings.
Group K Outlook & Predictions
Predicted Finishing Order: 1st Portugal, 2nd Colombia, 3rd Uzbekistan, 4th Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner
As one of the top four favorites for the entire tournament, Portugal is widely expected to dominate the group and secure the top seed comfortably.
Colombia are widely viewed as the strongest contender for the second automatic qualification spot, thanks to their current form and attacking depth. While Portugal remains the clear favourite to top the group, Colombia possess enough quality to keep the group competitive and punish any slip-ups from the European giants.
Dark Horses and Potential Surprises: Uzbekistan
In Group K, the potential surprise is Colombia, who have the quality and current form to genuinely challenge Portugal for the top spot.
The primary “dark horse” for the group is Uzbekistan, which could leverage their strong qualifying run to force one of the higher-ranked teams into a third-place battle.
When is the Group K matchday schedule?
Matches span June 17 (Matchday 1), June 23 (Matchday 2), and June 27 (Matchday 3), with two games per day. Please take a look at the FIFA World Cup 2026: Groups, Tables, Results, Scores.
How many teams qualify from Group K?
The top two advance automatically. The third-placed team may qualify if among the eight best third-placed across all groups.
Which city hosts which match?
- Houston: Portugal vs. Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner (June 17) and Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (June 23).
- Mexico City: Uzbekistan vs. Colombia (June 17).
- Guadalajara: Colombia vs. Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner (June 23).
- Miami: Colombia vs. Portugal (June 27).
- Atlanta: Inter-confederation Play-off Path 1 Winner vs. Uzbekistan (June 27).