Portugal set to kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on June 17

Washington [US], December 6 (ANI): Portugal will kick off its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on June 17 against the winner of Intercontinental Playoff 1, which will be contested between Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Congo.

Portugal's next match will be against debutant Uzbekistan on June 23. The team will then face Colombia on June 27 to conclude the group stage.

Portugal has been drawn in Group K.

The FIFA World Cup is set to kick off on June 11 with the clash between co-hosts Mexico and Canada confirmed as the tournament opener in Mexico City.

"The team spirit in Colombia is impressive. They are competitive players and can adapt to different styles. Colombia has players who play key roles at major European clubs. Uzbekistan is a lesser-known team, but they have the fantastic work of Fabio Cannavaro. It's a very competitive group and has a play-off made up of very positive, mentally motivated teams who believe they are invincible. We are happy about that, because some players have had very long seasons and need to prepare and rest," Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said as quoted from Portugal's website.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage was finally mapped out after a glittering Final Draw ceremony in Washington, DC's John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts on Friday. The 2026 World Cup will feature a new format, with 48 participating teams for the first time, divided into 12 groups of four.

The 12 groups were drawn during the event, which was attended by several legends across various sports, such as England and Manchester United Football icon Rio Ferdinand, who was conducting the draw event, with Basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal, NFL legend Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, an ice hockey great, and Major League Baseball (MLB) star Aaron Judge acting as assistants.

The top two teams from each section and the eight best third-place teams from each group will advance to the round of 32. (ANI)

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