Uzbekistan vs Colombia: Uzbekistan's First Ever World Cup in Group K

Predictions

Almost everyone agrees: Colombia are clear favorites and expected to win, but Uzbekistan's first ever World Cup is the real story of the night.

• Our prediction: Colombia win 2-0, in control and pulling clear.
• Goal.com: a comfortable Colombia win.
• RotoWire: Colombia have far more quality, but Uzbekistan will defend deep and could keep it tight for a while.
• The wider consensus: Colombia are a class above in attack and should win comfortably, even at altitude.

Uzbekistan's historic first World Cup

Uzbekistan have waited their entire football history for a night like this.

They have never played at a World Cup before, until now.

For years they fell just short in Asian qualifying, so this debut has been a long time coming.

The players who walk out at the Azteca are writing the first page of their country's World Cup story.

For a nation 57th in the FIFA rankings, just reaching this stage is already a win.

The man leading them makes the story even bigger.

Their coach is Fabio Cannavaro, an Italy legend who captained his country to the 2006 World Cup title and won the Ballon d'Or, the award for the best player in the world.

Now he is trying to guide a small football nation through its very first World Cup game.

They have real players too.

Eldor Shomurodov is their all-time top scorer with 44 international goals, and Abdukodir Khusanov, 22 years old, is an exciting young defender at Manchester City.

Colombia's quality and why they are favorites

Colombia arrive as a confident, talented side.

They are 13th in the FIFA rankings, and they finished 3rd in the South American (CONMEBOL) qualifiers.

Those qualifiers are long and brutal, so a strong finish there means a lot.

Their coach is Nestor Lorenzo, and he has built a team that plays with real belief.

In midfield, James Rodriguez pulls the strings and sets the tempo.

Up front, Luis Diaz of Liverpool is their star attacker and the main threat to any defense.

On their day, those 2 can decide a game on their own.

That is why Colombia are expected to win comfortably here, even at altitude.

The altitude factor at the Azteca

This game is played high up at the famous Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Mexico City sits more than 2,200 meters (about 7,300 feet) above sea level.

At that height the air is thinner, so players tire faster and the ball flies further and quicker.

Teams that are not used to it can run out of energy in the second half.

That can be the one thing that gives an underdog a small chance.

But Colombia know altitude well, because they play home games in Barranquilla and across South America at height.

So this famous old stadium should suit the favorites just fine.

What is at stake in Group K?

Group K also has Portugal and DR Congo, so points are precious here.

The top 2 teams in the group go through to the next round.

Some of the best 3rd-place teams also make it through.

Those teams reach the round of 32, the knockout stage where one loss sends you home.

With Portugal among the strong sides in this group, every result matters from the very first game.

For Colombia, a confident win sets them up to chase one of the top spots.

For Uzbekistan, the realistic dream is to grab points where they can and steal one of those 3rd-place spots.

And that contrast is what makes this so fun, because Colombia want a routine win while Uzbekistan want the upset of their lives.

Where and when can you watch?

The game is on Wednesday June 17 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Kickoff is 20:00 (8:00 PM) Central time.

You can also see all the details on the match page.

Still hunting a seat? Check our World Cup tickets guide.

Check your local World Cup broadcaster for the channel where you live.