Colombia will step back onto the World Cup stage on June 17, 2026, facing Uzbekistan at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. It will be the South American side’s first World Cup match since 2018, a drought that stung a football-obsessed nation accustomed to producing some of the sport’s most electrifying talent.
For Uzbekistan, the stakes are different but equally dramatic. This is their first World Cup appearance ever, and they’ll be led by none other than Fabio Cannavaro, the Italian defender who won the Ballon d’Or in 2006.
What’s at stake in Group K
Group K is not a group you sleepwalk through. Colombia and Uzbekistan are joined by Portugal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, making every point precious from the opening whistle.
Colombia’s squad is expected to feature familiar names like James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz. Rodríguez, who became a global sensation during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, is looking at what could be his final tournament. Díaz, meanwhile, brings Premier League sharpness and the kind of directness that can unsettle any defense.
