Surprises threaten Portugal in the 2026 World Cup

Group K of the 2026 FIFA World Cup features Colombia, Portugal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uzbekistan, in a seemingly balanced group of strong contenders and teams looking to cause an upset. There is great anticipation surrounding the teams that will advance to the knockout stages. The group matches will be played across three cities in the United States and two in Mexico. The competition kicks off on June 17th with a match between Portugal and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Houston, while Uzbekistan will face Colombia in Mexico City. According to Opta's statistical model, Portugal is the favorite to top the group with a 59% probability of winning and a 94.9% probability of advancing to the next round. Colombia is also in a strong position with an 84.9% chance of qualifying. In contrast, the chances of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uzbekistan appear relatively lower, with each having a 22.1% chance of qualifying. However, the new tournament format might allow some third-placed teams to continue in the competition . Portugal enters the tournament as one of the favorites for the title and is one of the few European teams that has not missed a World Cup since 2002, along with England, France, Germany, and Spain . Despite this, Portugal's best historical achievement remains their third-place finish in 1966. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the last edition after losing to Morocco, which motivates them to strive to improve on that record in the current tournament under the guidance of coach Roberto Martinez, who possesses extensive World Cup experience . Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the Portuguese team's key players, being the only player in history to have scored in five different World Cups. He could potentially participate in a sixth edition this year, further cementing his exceptional career in the tournament's history . Colombia hopes to achieve a new milestone, having previously reached the quarterfinals in 2014. They displayed strong performances in the South American qualifiers, scoring 28 goals, the second-highest tally after Argentina . The Colombian team relies on Luis Diaz as one of their key attacking stars, alongside captain and playmaker James Rodriguez, who remains an influential figure despite his age . Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo returns to the World Cup after a long absence since their sole appearance in 1974 as Zaire. They aim to break a historical jinx, having failed to score a single goal in that tournament . Congolese fans are counting on the attacking duo of Cedric Bakambu and Yoane Wissa, who delivered outstanding performances in the qualifiers, to deliver a better showing in their upcoming World Cup debut . Uzbekistan, on the other hand, is making its World Cup debut, seeking to make history and benefiting from the expanded tournament format, which offers them a greater opportunity to compete . The team is led by Italian coach Fabio Cannavaro, a former world champion, and relies on its captain Eldor Shomurodov, who was the top scorer in the qualifiers, in an attempt to make a strong impression in its debut.Group Eleven remains one of the most exciting and competitive groups, given the differing ambitions of teams seeking the title and others looking for a historic achievement.