Preview, prediction, players to watch, fixtures and TV schedule G Trends

Preview Group K

Cristiano Ronaldo arrives for the sixth time World Cup And he’s still chasing the one trophy that has always eluded him. This story alone makes Collection K worth watching.

But Portugal has company worth taking seriously. Colombia arrive with James Rodriguez seeking one final moment of glory, the Democratic Republic of Congo return for the first time in 52 years with a squad packed with Premier League talent, and first-time arrivals Uzbekistan – managed by a World Cup-winning Ballon d’Or winner – are here to demonstrate Asia’s growing weight on the global stage.

We take a look at each team in detail.

World Cup Group K matches and where to watch

Here is the complete list of equipment. Matches containing an asterisk start the day before.

Here we take a look at the difference in detail.

Colombia: 2026 World Cup Preview, Star Player, Prediction

trainer: Nestor Lorenzo
eligible: CONMEBOL qualifiers (third)
Best World Cup: Quarter-finals (2014)

Colombia is back. They missed Qatar 2022 entirely, which is insulting for one of South America’s most footballing nations. And they will not miss the opportunity to make their presence felt this time.

Nestor Lorenzo has led Colombia to third place in the CONMEBOL table, ahead of Uruguay and Brazil on goal difference.

Luis Diaz arrives from Bayern Munich having scored seven goals in qualifying, a tally bettered only by Messi in all CONMEBOL tournaments.

The midfield has a dangerous quality too. Richard Reus (Benfica) and Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace) provide the engine room, while Jorge Carrascal and Juan Fernando Quintero provide creativity from deeper positions.

Cucho Hernandez, now at Real Betis, gives Lorenzo a dynamic option in attack capable of dropping back or running in behind.

Colombia’s star player: James Rodriguez’s 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 top scorer at a finals.

He also provided the most assists, seven, of any player across the entire 2026 CONMEBOL qualifying campaign.

He managed less than 200 minutes of soccer for Minnesota United before leaving for the national team camp, but when this guy is in a World Cup, there are few talented players on the planet.

Prediction: Colombia reaches the knockout stages

The last group stage match against Portugal in Miami is the most important match. If Colombia get there with four points, they will be competing with Ronaldo and co. Knowing the draw can be enough. We expect them to do so.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction

trainer: Sebastian Desabre
eligible: Inter-federation qualifiers (winner of the first track)
Best World Cup: Group stage (1974, as Zaire)

Fifty-two years. That’s how long the Panthers have waited to return to the biggest stage in football.

DRC’s path to the 2026 World Cup finals was one of the most unorthodox in history, as they eventually managed to pass the inter-confederation qualifiers to book their place, and were the last team to confirm their place, on 31 March 2026.

Coach Sébastien Desabre has assembled a team that reflects the Congolese diaspora across Europe. Yoane Wissa, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Noah Siddiqui and Axel Tuanzebe all played in the 2025-26 Premier League season.

Veteran striker Cedric Bakambu (Real Betis) brings big spirit to the game, with 21 international goals to his name. Captain Chancel Mbemba, the former Newcastle and Marseille centre-back who currently plays for Lille, carries the defense with 107 caps of experience.

The star of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Wessa will light up the World Cup

The Newcastle winger is the threat in the Leopards side, he is quick and lethal in front of goal and has had five great seasons in the Premier League.

Wissa returns to the national team after missing the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and will be keen to make a mark in the biggest tournament of all.

Prediction: DR Congo is heading towards a knockout

With eight third-placed teams qualifying, one win will be enough to secure qualification to the round of 32. The Uzbekistan match will be crucial. An upset could happen against Colombia. This isn’t a team here just to make up the numbers

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Portugal: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction

trainer: Roberto Martinez
eligible: Winners of Group Six of the European Union
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 eluded him.

Roberto Martinez has named a 26-man squad that blends Ronaldo’s vast experience with the formative years of stars like Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias.

This is not a one-man team. Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha and Rafael Leao head a group built to finally win. Portugal reaches fifth place in the FIFA rankings and is the holder of the UEFA Nations League title.

Seven players come from the Premier League and four from treble winners Paris Saint-Germain.

The team also holds a symbolic place dedicated to Diogo Jota, the former striker who died in a car crash last July, a painful reminder of what this team and this nation have been through.

Ronaldo is available for all group matches after avoiding a three-match ban for a red card in a World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in November.

The Star Player: The Final Chapter of Ronaldo

Ronaldo arrives knowing that this could be his last chance to lift the FIFA Gold Cup.

He surpassed 940 goals in his career for club and country during the 2025-2026 season and is now aiming to reach 1,000 goals.

For Portugal alone, he scored 143 international goals, more than any player in history.

The debate over whether he helps or hinders the team tactically will rage on all summer. It always is. And every summer, he tends to make the argument irrelevant.

Forecast: Portugal breeze

This group was made for Portugal and they should come out on top comfortably. The real test begins with the knockout, and by then, Ronaldo will be completely finished.

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Uzbekistan: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction

trainer: Fabio Cannavaro
eligible: Runner-up in Group A in the third round of Asia
Best World Cup: First appearance

Thirty-four years of trying. A country with a population of 38 million can finally say: We are in the World Cup.

Since gaining independence after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Uzbekistan has failed in seven previous attempts to qualify for the World Cup.

This time, they succeeded. Fabio Cannavaro takes over in 2024, carrying the mentality of the man who led Italy to the 2006 World Cup and won the Ballon d’Or.

Uzbekistan performed admirably in qualifying, losing just one match out of 16, a record worthy of respect this summer.

Fifteen of the squad’s 26 players play in the Uzbekistan Premier League, giving the group a cohesion and familiarity that the bigger nations may initially underestimate. Khosanov is the only representative of the European football elite.

Star Player: The deadly duo is ready to go

With 43 goals in 88 international matches, Shomurodov has scored 11 more international goals than any other player in the history of Uzbekistan.

He enjoyed a very productive loan spell at Istanbul Basaksehir, scoring 13 goals in 18 appearances prior to the tournament.

Manchester City’s Abdukadir Khosanov gives Uzbekistan the most recognizable name in English eyes, but Shomurodov is the heartthrob.

Prediction: Uzbekistan fights but fails

The final match between Uzbekistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 28 in Atlanta may be the decisive match in this group for both sides.

Neither of them can afford to lose him. Cannavaro will have his team organised, disciplined and dangerous on the counter-attack. Don’t write to them.

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Expected schedule for the 2026 World Cup Group K

	victories	He paints	losses	points
Portugal	3	0	0	9
Colombia	1	1	1	4
Democratic Republic of the Congo	1	0	2	3
Uzbekistan	0	1	2	1