Portugal has been placed in Group K for the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uzbekistan, and its three group-stage fixtures — dates, kickoff times and venues — have been confirmed.
The sequence: Portugal opens on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET against the Democratic Republic of the Congo at NRG Stadium in Houston; the second game is Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET, also at NRG Stadium, against Uzbekistan; and Portugal closes the group on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 7:30 PM ET at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami against Colombia. U.S. Spanish-language broadcasts will be carried on Telemundo and Universo, with streaming available on Peacock. All kickoff times are Eastern Time.
Roberto Martinez's Portugal arrives in the U.S. with recent continental honours on its record — the team won UEFA EURO 2016 and has taken two editions of the UEFA Nations League — but the World Cup remains the only major title missing from the country's trophy list. Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, is chasing the one prize that has eluded him as he and Lionel Messi prepare to become the first players to appear at six World Cup finals.
On paper Group K looks manageable for Portugal: Colombia brings South American experience, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uzbekistan arrive with different questions and momentum. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is making a return to the World Cup stage after a long absence and Uzbekistan will be competing on football’s biggest stage for the first time; those storylines complicate any simple projection into the knockout rounds. World Cup history is littered with groups that read one way on paper and finished another on the field.
For fans planning viewing, the Houston doubleheader gives Portugal two chances in the same stadium to build rhythm before the decisive match in Miami. Broadcasters in Spanish will carry all Portugal matches in the United States on Telemundo and Universo, and Peacock will provide streaming. The schedule’s clustering — two early-afternoon East Coast kickoffs followed by a primetime finale — maps comfortably for U.S.-based viewers and sets a clear timeline for team preparations.
What matters next is immediate and concrete: Portugal’s Group K opener against the Democratic Republic of the Congo at 1:00 PM ET on June 17 in Houston. That match will be the first real test of whether the draw’s apparent ease translates into points. Two unanswered questions will shape Portugal’s path — whether Cristiano Ronaldo will figure in these lineups, and whether the team can convert favorable matchups into a top-two finish — and both will be answered on the pitch, starting in Houston.
