The 2026 World Cup begins this week!
Extra exactly, subsequent Thursday (11), when host on the iconic Azteca Stadium, at 4pm (Brasília time).
That’s why OneFootball brings you under what to anticipate from the event’s last two teams (Ok and L), highlighting the groups concerned, the match schedule and the important thing speaking factors.
Commercial
So, go away your ideas within the feedback! Will , , and handle to reside as much as their favourites tag of their teams?
🏆 Group Ok
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇨🇩 DR Congo
🇺🇿
🇨🇴 Colombia
📅 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 many favourites to win the 2026 World Cup, main the way in which in Group Ok with a star-studded squad that features icon , now 41, as he prepares for his sixth World Cup.
Commercial
Coach Roberto Martínez can name on the quartet that gained the Champions League – , , João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos – in addition to standout names akin to , , , and .
After surprisingly struggling within the European qualifiers, Portugal should take care of the stress that comes with heightened expectations of successful their first-ever World Cup title.
📸 Carlos Rodrigues – 2025 Getty Pictures
🇨🇩 DR Congo
DR Congo make historical past by returning to the World Cup after 52 years away, in what shall be solely their second look within the event (the primary got here in 1974, when the nation was nonetheless referred to as Zaire).
Commercial
Having certified by means of the intercontinental play-offs, the African aspect are aiming to succeed in the knockout stage for the primary time, after being eradicated within the group stage with three defeats in 1974.
The group don’t have any main worldwide titles, however their African qualifying marketing campaign confirmed defensive solidity and a capability to spring surprises, with wins over Cameroon, Sudan and Togo.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan head to the 2026 World Cup having made historical past: this shall be their first look within the event, now as a former Soviet republic from Central Asia.
They certified by means of the Asian qualifiers with a formidable marketing campaign – six wins, two attracts and one defeat within the third spherical, after going unbeaten within the earlier stage (4 wins and two attracts).
Commercial
The got here near a 20-match unbeaten run in qualifying. With no main titles to their title, Uzbekistan are the group’s large “darkish horse”, however they’ve each probability of unusual the favourites.
🇨🇴 Colombia
Established as considered one of South America’s main powers, Colombia head to the 2026 World Cup seeking to repeat their historic runs of 1990 (spherical of 16), 2014 (quarter-finals) and 2018 (spherical of 16).
The squad options icon in fantastic type for the nationwide group, with six targets and 15 assists in South American qualifying, whereas Luis Díaz has additionally been one of many standout attacking gamers, with seven targets in qualifying.
Commercial
With 4 gamers from Brazilian soccer amongst these referred to as up (Jhon Arias/Palmeiras, Jorge Carrascal/Flamengo, Juan Portilla/Athletico-PR and Andrés Gómez/Vasco), Colombia had a stable qualifying marketing campaign: seven wins, seven attracts and 4 defeats, scoring 28 targets and conceding 18.
The Colombians are able to go one step additional than the quarter-finals, and all of it begins with the problem of beating Portugal, DR Congo and Uzbekistan.
📸 SANDY HUFFAKER – AFP or licensors
🏆 Group L
🏴 England
🇭🇷 Croatia
🇬🇭
🇵🇦
📅 17 June (Wednesday) – 5pm (Brasília time): England v Croatia
📅 17 June (Wednesday) – 8pm (Brasília time): Ghana v Panama
Commercial
📅 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 house of soccer”, England head to the 2026 World Cup as one of many fundamental favourites for the title, seeking to finish the drought that has lasted since 1966.
The squad led by coach Thomas Tuchel options main stars akin to (England’s all-time prime scorer with 71 targets), , , and .
England reached the World Cup after a stable European qualifying marketing campaign (eight wins from eight matches) and are aiming to beat the “trauma” of the semi-finals (fourth place in 1990 and 2018) to problem for the title once more (their solely last was in 1966, after they had been champions).
📸 Judit Cartiel – 2025 Getty Pictures
Commercial
🇬🇭 Ghana
Ghana are heading to the fifth World Cup of their historical past (beforehand in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022), aiming to match their best-ever marketing campaign (the quarter-finals in 2010, in opposition to ).
The squad options standouts akin to , Iñaki Williams, , , and .
The Ghanaian nationwide group arrive on the World Cup after a robust African qualifying marketing campaign, ending prime of Group I with 25 factors from 10 matches (eight wins, one draw and one defeat).
🇵🇦 Panama
Panama are heading to only their second World Cup look (beforehand in 2018, after they had been eradicated within the group stage with no win).
Commercial
The squad led by coach Thomas Christiansen options , Yoel Bárcenas, Ismael Díaz, and captain as its standout names.
Panama arrive on the World Cup after ending unbeaten in Concacaf qualifying, topping Group A with 12 factors from six matches (three attracts and three wins).
🇭🇷 Croatia
Established as considered one of Europe’s main powers, Croatia head to the 2026 World Cup for the seventh World Cup look of their historical past (1998, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022).
The squad led by coach Zlatko Dalić options the legendary , in addition to Mateo Kovačić, Ivan Perišić, Joško Gvardiol and goalkeeper Dominik Livaković amongst its standout names.
Commercial
After one other sturdy European qualifying marketing campaign (prime of Group L with seven wins and one draw from eight matches), Croatia’s mission is to higher their performances in 1998 and 2022 (each third place) and 2018 (runners-up) to win the primary World Cup title of their historical past!
📸 DAMIR SENCAR – AFP or licensors
This text was translated into English by Synthetic Intelligence.