Uzbekistan Drawn with Portugal, Colombia in World Cup Group

Uzbekistan has learned its opponents for the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the official draw held in Washington, D.C.

The national team will compete in Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia, and one additional team that will qualify through the intercontinental play-offs, which could be the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jamaica, or New Caledonia, The Caspian Post reports.

The tournament will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Uzbekistan's World Cup campaign will kick off on 17 June against Colombia, followed by a match against Portugal on 23 June. The final group-stage game is scheduled for 27 June against the winner of the play-off path (DR Congo/Jamaica/New Caledonia). FIFA is expected to announce the exact venues and kickoff times on 6 December.

Uzbekistan’s head coach Fabio Cannavaro and football legend Mirjalol Qosimov attended the draw ceremony in Washington.

The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature an expanded 48-team format. In addition to the top two teams from each group, eight of the best third-placed teams will also progress to the knockout stage. Unlike previous tournaments, the playoffs will start from the round of 32 instead of the round of 16.

The competition will run for 39 days, from 11 June to 19 July. While 42 teams have already secured their spots, the remaining six will be determined in the intercontinental play-offs scheduled for March 2026.