Group Okay Preview
Cristiano Ronaldo arrives for his sixth World Cup and nonetheless chasing the one trophy that has all the time escaped him. That story alone makes Group Okay must-watch viewing.
However Portugal have firm value taking critically. Colombia arrive with James Rodriguez chasing one ultimate second of glory, DR Congo are again for the primary time in 52 years with a squad packed stuffed 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 group intimately.
World Cup Group Okay fixtures and the place to observe
Right here’s the total checklist of fixtures. Matches with an asterisk begin the day gone by.
Right here, we check out the groups intimately.
Colombia: 2026 World Cup preview, star participant, prediction
Coach: Nestor Lorenzo Qualification: CONMEBOL qualifiers (third) Finest World Cup: Quarter-finals (2014)
Colombia are again. They missed Qatar 2022 completely, a humiliation for certainly 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 objective distinction.
Luis Diaz arrives from Bayern Munich having scored seven targets in qualifying, solely Messi bettered that tally throughout all of CONMEBOL.
The midfield carries critical high quality too. Richard Rios (Benfica) and Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace) present the engine room, whereas Jorge Carrascal and Juan Fernando Quintero provide creativity from deeper positions.
Cucho Hernandez, now at Actual Betis, offers Lorenzo a dynamic possibility in assault able to dropping in or working in behind.
Colombia Star Participant: James Rodriguez’ final dance
James Rodriguez gained the Golden Boot with six targets on the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, a tally that alone makes him Colombia’s all-time main scorer on the finals.
He additionally offered essentially the most assists, seven, of any participant throughout all the 2026 CONMEBOL qualifying marketing campaign.
He managed fewer than 200 minutes of soccer for Minnesota United earlier than leaving for the nationwide group 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 sport towards Portugal in Miami is the one which issues. If Colombia arrive there with 4 factors already banked, they’ll go toe-to-toe with Ronaldo and co. figuring out a draw could possibly be sufficient. Anticipate them to make it.
DR Congo: 2026 World Cup preview, star participant, prediction
Coach: Sebastien Desabre Qualification: Inter-confederation playoffs (Path 1 winner) Finest 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 via the inter-confederation playoffs to e-book their place, the final group to verify their spot, as not too long ago 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 targets 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 mild up the World Cup
The Newcastle winger is the Leopards’ dangerman, quick, deadly in entrance of objective, and driving the again of 5 good Premier League seasons.
Wissa returns to the nationwide setup after lacking the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and can be determined to place down a marker on the largest stage of all.
Prediction: DR Congo push for knockouts
With eight third-placed groups advancing, one win could be sufficient to ensure passage to a Spherical of 32. The Uzbekistan fixture is there for the taking. An upset towards Colombia is completely attainable. This isn’t a group simply right here to make up the numbers
Portugal: 2026 World Cup preview, star participant, prediction
Coach: Roberto Martinez Qualification: UEFA Group F winners Finest World Cup: Third place (1966)
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is heading to a file sixth World Cup, chasing the one main trophy that has all the time escaped him.
Roberto Martinez has named a 26-man squad that blends the immense expertise of Ronaldo with the prime years of stars like Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias.
This isn’t a one-man group. Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, and Rafael Leao headline a gaggle constructed to lastly win it. Portugal arrive as FIFA’s fifth-ranked group and reigning Nations League champions.
Seven gamers come from the Premier League and 4 from treble winners Paris Saint-Germain.
The squad additionally carries a symbolic place devoted to Diogo Jota, the previous ahead who died in a automotive accident final July, a sombre reminder of what this squad and this nation have been via.
Ronaldo is accessible for all group matches after avoiding a three-game suspension from a pink card in a World Cup qualifier towards the Republic of Eire in November.
Star Participant: Ronaldo’s ultimate chapter
Ronaldo arrives figuring out this could possibly be his ultimate probability to raise soccer’s golden trophy.
He handed 940 profession targets for membership and nation in the course of the 2025-26 season and is chasing the 1,000-goal milestone.
For Portugal alone he has scored 143 worldwide targets, greater than any man in historical past.
The talk about whether or not he helps or hinders the group tactically will rage all summer season. It all the time does. And each summer season, he tends to make the argument irrelevant.
Prediction: Portugal breeze via
This group was made for Portugal and they need to high it comfortably. The actual check begins within the knockouts, and by then, Ronaldo can be totally wound up.
Uzbekistan: 2026 World Cup preview, star participant, prediction
Coach: Fabio Cannavaro Qualification: AFC third spherical Group A runners-up Finest World Cup: First look
Thirty-four years of attempting. A nation of 38 million individuals lastly attending to say: we’re on the World Cup.
Since gaining independence following the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, Uzbekistan had failed in seven earlier makes an attempt to qualify for the World Cup.
This time, they made it. Fabio Cannavaro took cost in 2024, bringing the mentality of a person who captained Italy to the 2006 World Cup and gained the Ballon d’Or.
Uzbekistan had been magnificent in qualifying, shedding simply certainly one of their 16 matches, a file that calls for respect this summer season.
Fifteen of the 26 squad members play within the Uzbekistan Tremendous League, giving the group a coherence and familiarity that the larger nations might initially underestimate. Khusanov is the only real consultant from elite European soccer.
Star Participant: Lethal duo able to go
With 43 targets in 88 caps, Shomurodov has scored 11 worldwide targets greater than another participant in Uzbekistan’s historical past.
He has loved a extremely productive mortgage spell at Istanbul Basaksehir, scoring 13 instances in 18 appearances heading into the event.
Abdukodir Khusanov at Manchester Metropolis offers Uzbekistan essentially the most recognisable identify to English eyes, however Shomurodov is the heartbeat.
Prediction: Uzbekistan battle however fall quick
The Uzbekistan vs DR Congo finale on June 28 in Atlanta could possibly be the defining match of this group for each side.
Neither can afford to lose it. Cannavaro can have his group organised, disciplined and harmful on the counter. Don’t write them off.
