The 2026 World Cup final draw, held on December 5, 2025, placed Portugal into Group K alongside DR Congo (Pot 2), Uzbekistan (Pot 3), and Colombia (Pot 4). The group spans four different confederations — UEFA, CAF, AFC, and CONMEBOL — and pits the most experienced World Cup nation against a team making its all-time debut.
Final 26-man squads have now been announced by all four teams. This article is based on pre-tournament context and squad information only. Detailed tactical breakdowns will follow in a separate article.
Group K at a Glance
| Country | Confederation | Pot | Appearances | Last Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | UEFA | 1 | 9th | 2022 (Quarter-finals) |
| DR Congo | CAF | 2 | 2nd | 1974 (Group stage, as Zaire) |
| Uzbekistan | AFC | 3 | Debut | — |
| Colombia | CONMEBOL | 4 | 7th | 2018 (Round of 16) |
The defining characteristic of Group K is the sheer range of World Cup pedigree. Portugal arrive with nine appearances and a third-place finish (1966) to their name. DR Congo are back for the first time in 52 years — the nation formerly competed as Zaire. Uzbekistan are making their first-ever appearance since gaining independence in 1991. Colombia, missing since Russia 2018, return for a seventh time with a squad built around two world-class attackers.
Match Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, June 17 | Portugal vs DR Congo | Houston Stadium (Houston, TX) |
| Wed, June 17 | Uzbekistan vs Colombia | Estadio Azteca (Mexico City) |
| Tue, June 23 | Portugal vs Uzbekistan | Houston Stadium (Houston, TX) |
| Tue, June 23 | Colombia vs DR Congo | Estadio Guadalajara (Guadalajara) |
| Sat, June 27 | Colombia vs Portugal | Miami Stadium (Miami Gardens, FL) |
| Sat, June 27 | DR Congo vs Uzbekistan | Atlanta Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
Uzbekistan’s World Cup debut comes at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City — at an altitude of approximately 2,240 metres, against Colombia, one of South America’s most dangerous teams. The group’s likely headline match is the June 27 final day clash between Colombia and Portugal in Miami, a city with a large Latin American fanbase that will create a unique atmosphere regardless of which side has the home-crowd feel.
Team-by-Team
Portugal — Group K’s Top Seed
As the Pot 1 side, Portugal are the clear favourites. Coach Roberto Martínez has assembled a squad led by 41-year-old captain Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), who becomes the first player in history to appear at six World Cups. Portugal reached the quarter-finals at Qatar 2022 before falling to Morocco, but their attacking output included Gonçalo Ramos’ hat-trick against Switzerland.
The midfield is a genuine luxury: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) drives the creative work, Vitinha (PSG) manages press resistance and tempo, and João Neves (PSG) — just 21 — offers ball-recovery and forward drives. At centre-back, Rúben Dias (Manchester City) (68 caps) and Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting CP) form the likely starting pair. Wide forwards Rafael Leão (AC Milan) and Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) (105 caps) provide the thrust in a 4-3-3 system.
The squad carries additional emotional weight: Portugal named the late Diogo Jota as a symbolic honorary 26th player, dedicating the tournament to his memory.
Past World Cup highlights:
- 1966 (debut): Third place
- 2006: Fourth place
- 2022: Quarter-finals
DR Congo — Back After 52 Years
DR Congo last appeared at the World Cup in 1974 in West Germany, as Zaire — making this effectively a once-in-a-generation return for the country’s fans. Coach Sébastien Desabre (French), in the role since 2022, led the team to the 2024 AFCON semi-finals before navigating CAF qualifying.
Captain Chancel Mbemba (Lille) holds the all-time DR Congo caps record (107) and brings Champions League experience from Porto and Premier League experience from Newcastle. The attacking focal point is Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United), who scored 13 Premier League goals for Brentford in 2024-25 before his summer transfer to Newcastle.
A notable feature of the squad is the number of Premier League and Ligue 1-developed players. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham) (ex-Manchester United) and Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley) (ex-Manchester United, who switched international allegiance to DR Congo in 2024) bring top-tier English football experience. Veteran striker Cédric Bakambu (Real Betis) (21 international goals) and midfielder Gaël Kakuta (AEL Limassol) — a former Chelsea prodigy — add further quality across the attacking unit.
Uzbekistan — Making History Under Cannavaro
This is Uzbekistan’s first-ever World Cup appearance, 35 years after the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The man who made it possible is coach Fabio Cannavaro — the Italian defender who captained Italy to the 2006 World Cup title and won the Ballon d’Or that year. Cannavaro has installed a disciplined 4-2-3-1 structure that earned results through CAF and AFC qualifying pathways.
Captain and all-time top scorer Eldor Shomurodov (İstanbul Başakşehir) has 44 international goals from 90 caps — a striker who spent years in Serie A at Roma and Genoa. The squad’s highest-profile name in European football is Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City), a 22-year-old centre-back signed from Lens for £40 million in January 2025, making him the first Uzbek player to compete at one of the Premier League’s top clubs.
Uzbekistan are the group’s biggest underdogs, but Cannavaro’s defensive organisation — anchored by Khusanov alongside Rustam Ashurmatov (47 caps, Esteghlal) — gives the team a structure that could frustrate even experienced opponents.
Colombia — Eight-Year Wait Over, James and Díaz Lead the Way
Colombia return to the World Cup for the first time since Russia 2018. They qualified through CONMEBOL’s South American qualifying in third place (28 points from 18 matches). Coach Néstor Lorenzo (Argentine) took Colombia to the 2024 Copa América final — defeating Brazil in the semi-finals — and arrives at his first World Cup at the helm with genuine momentum.
Captain James Rodríguez (Minnesota United, MLS) won the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot with six goals as Colombia reached the quarter-finals in Brazil. At 33, with 124 caps and 31 international goals, he remains one of football’s most gifted playmakers despite now playing in MLS. This is widely expected to be his final World Cup. The undisputed ace is Luis Díaz (Bayern Munich), who won the Premier League and FA Cup at Liverpool before joining Bayern in summer 2025. His pace, dribbling, and 21 international goals from 72 caps make him Colombia’s most dangerous weapon.
Defensively, Davinson Sánchez (Galatasaray) (77 caps, ex-Ajax and Tottenham) anchors the back line. Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace) (64 caps) provides the midfield engine. Colombia are Pot 4 on paper, but their actual squad quality is firmly in contention for a knockout berth.
Head-to-Head Context
| Matchup | Background |
|---|---|
| Portugal vs Colombia | First meeting at the World Cup. The Ronaldo vs James + Luis Díaz matchup is the group’s showpiece. |
| Portugal vs Uzbekistan | No prior competitive record. Among the toughest opponents in Uzbekistan’s football history. |
| Portugal vs DR Congo | No prior competitive record. Several DR Congo players with Premier League and Ligue 1 pedigree face Ronaldo’s final stage. |
| Colombia vs DR Congo | First World Cup meeting. South American structure against African athleticism. |
| Colombia vs Uzbekistan | No prior meetings. Uzbekistan’s World Cup opener against one of CONMEBOL’s best-organised sides. |
| DR Congo vs Uzbekistan | Two teams returning/debuting after long absences — DR Congo (52 years) vs Uzbekistan (first time). |
The June 27 finale between Colombia and Portugal in Miami carries the greatest weight on paper. James Rodríguez — who played for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich — faces a Portuguese midfield built around Premier League and PSG regulars, in front of what promises to be a passionate Latin crowd.
Path to the Knockouts
By seedings, Portugal (1st) and Colombia (2nd) are the most likely candidates to advance. However:
- DR Congo are not simply a romantic story — Mbemba, Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe and Wissa form a squad with genuine Premier League-level quality
- Colombia’s output rises dramatically when James and Díaz link up — Pot 4 in name only
- Uzbekistan’s defensive discipline under Cannavaro, anchored by Khusanov, could yield a point or two that no pre-tournament model predicts
Under the 48-team format, eight third-place finishers from across the 12 groups advance to the Round of 32, meaning DR Congo and Uzbekistan retain realistic paths to the knockout stage even if they cannot catch the group’s top two.
Summary
- The widest experience gap of any group: nine-time participant Portugal alongside a World Cup debutant
- Ronaldo’s sixth appearance is the tournament’s defining individual narrative — etched in Houston and Miami
- Colombia’s final match in Miami: a Latin American-inflected atmosphere could create an extraordinary home-away dynamic against Portugal
- DR Congo and Uzbekistan carry the weight of long-awaited milestones: every result will be historic for their nations
A more detailed tactical breakdown of each team’s formation and expected key battles will be published once the tournament is underway.