👀 Who goes through? What to expect from World Cup Groups K and L

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·8 June 2026

👀 Who goes through? What to expect from World Cup Groups K and L

The 2026 World Cup starts this week!

More precisely, next Thursday (11), when Mexico host South Africa at the iconic Azteca Stadium, at 4pm (Brasília time).

OneFootball Videos

That’s why OneFootball brings you below what to expect from the tournament’s final two groups (K and L), highlighting the teams involved, the match schedule and the key talking points.

Group A and B Preview

Group C and D Preview

Group E and F Preview

Group G and H Preview

Group I and J Preview

So, leave your thoughts in the comments! Will Portugal, Colombia, England and Croatia manage to live up to their favourites tag in their groups?

🏆 Group K

The teams

🇵🇹 Portugal

🇨🇩 DR Congo

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan

🇨🇴 Colombia

Match schedule

📅 17 June (Wednesday) - 2pm (Brasília time): Portugal v DR Congo

📅 17 June (Wednesday) - 11pm (Brasília time): Uzbekistan v Colombia

📅 21 June (Sunday) - 4pm (Brasília time): Portugal v Uzbekistan

📅 24 June (Wednesday) - 1am (Brasília time): Colombia v DR Congo

📅 27 June (Saturday) - 11:30pm (Brasília time): Colombia v Portugal / DR Congo v Uzbekistan

🇵🇹 Portugal

Portugal arrive as one of the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup, leading the way in Group K with a star-studded squad that includes icon Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41, as he prepares for his sixth World Cup.

Coach Roberto Martínez can call on the quartet that won the Champions League - Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos - as well as standout names such as Rúben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leão and Pedro Neto.

After surprisingly struggling in the European qualifiers, Portugal must deal with the pressure that comes with heightened expectations of winning their first-ever World Cup title.

📸 Carlos Rodrigues - 2025 Getty Images

🇨🇩 DR Congo

DR Congo make history by returning to the World Cup after 52 years away, in what will be only their second appearance in the tournament (the first came in 1974, when the country was still called Zaire).

Having qualified through the intercontinental play-offs, the African side are aiming to reach the knockout stage for the first time, after being eliminated in the group stage with three defeats in 1974.

The team have no major international titles, but their African qualifying campaign showed defensive solidity and an ability to spring surprises, with wins over Cameroon, Sudan and Togo.

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan head to the 2026 World Cup having made history: this will be their first appearance in the tournament, now as a former Soviet republic from Central Asia.

They qualified through the Asian qualifiers with an impressive campaign - six wins, two draws and one defeat in the third round, after going unbeaten in the previous stage (four wins and two draws).

The Uzbek national team came close to a 20-match unbeaten run in qualifying. With no major titles to their name, Uzbekistan are the group’s big "dark horse", but they have every chance of surprising the favourites.

🇨🇴 Colombia

Established as one of South America’s leading powers, Colombia head to the 2026 World Cup looking to repeat their historic runs of 1990 (round of 16), 2014 (quarter-finals) and 2018 (round of 16).

The squad features icon James Rodríguez in fine form for the national team, with six goals and 15 assists in South American qualifying, while Luis Díaz has also been one of the standout attacking players, with seven goals in qualifying.

With four players from Brazilian football among those called up (Jhon Arias/Palmeiras, Jorge Carrascal/Flamengo, Juan Portilla/Athletico-PR and Andrés Gómez/Vasco), Colombia had a solid qualifying campaign: seven wins, seven draws and four defeats, scoring 28 goals and conceding 18.

The Colombians are ready to go one step further than the quarter-finals, and it all starts with the challenge of beating Portugal, DR Congo and Uzbekistan.

📸 SANDY HUFFAKER - AFP or licensors

🏆 Group L

The teams

🏴 England

🇭🇷 Croatia

🇬🇭 Ghana

🇵🇦 Panama

Match schedule

📅 17 June (Wednesday) - 5pm (Brasília time): England v Croatia

📅 17 June (Wednesday) - 8pm (Brasília time): Ghana v Panama

📅 21 June (Sunday) - 6pm (Brasília time): England v Ghana

📅 24 June (Wednesday) - 9pm (Brasília time): Panama v Croatia

📅 27 June (Saturday) - 7pm (Brasília time): Panama v England / Croatia v Ghana

🏴 England

"The home of football", England head to the 2026 World Cup as one of the main favourites for the title, looking to end the drought that has lasted since 1966.

The squad led by coach Thomas Tuchel features major stars such as Harry Kane (England’s all-time top scorer with 71 goals), Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford.

England reached the World Cup after a solid European qualifying campaign (eight wins from eight matches) and are aiming to overcome the "trauma" of the semi-finals (fourth place in 1990 and 2018) to challenge for the title again (their only final was in 1966, when they were champions).

📸 Judit Cartiel - 2025 Getty Images

🇬🇭 Ghana

Ghana are heading to the fifth World Cup in their history (previously in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022), aiming to match their best-ever campaign (the quarter-finals in 2010, against Uruguay).

The squad features standouts such as Antoine Semenyo, Iñaki Williams, Jordan Ayew, Abdul Fatawu, Ernest Nuamah and Thomas Partey.

The Ghanaian national team arrive at the World Cup after a strong African qualifying campaign, finishing top of Group I with 25 points from 10 matches (eight wins, one draw and one defeat).

🇵🇦 Panama

Panama are heading to just their second World Cup appearance (previously in 2018, when they were eliminated in the group stage without a win).

The squad led by coach Thomas Christiansen features Adalberto Carrasquilla, Yoel Bárcenas, Ismael Díaz, Cecílio Waterman and captain Aníbal Godoy as its standout names.

Panama arrive at the World Cup after finishing unbeaten in Concacaf qualifying, topping Group A with 12 points from six matches (three draws and three wins).

🇭🇷 Croatia

Established as one of Europe’s leading powers, Croatia head to the 2026 World Cup for the seventh World Cup appearance in their history (1998, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022).

The squad led by coach Zlatko Dalić features the legendary Luka Modrić, as well as Mateo Kovačić, Ivan Perišić, Joško Gvardiol and goalkeeper Dominik Livaković among its standout names.

After another strong European qualifying campaign (top of Group L with seven wins and one draw from eight matches), Croatia’s mission is to better their performances in 1998 and 2022 (both third place) and 2018 (runners-up) to win the first World Cup title in their history!