Wednesday marks the final day of the opening games at the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup and while it will be a tough act to follow Tuesday’s extravaganza, there will be plenty of star players who’ll do their best.
Led by Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal hopes its game against the DR Congo will be the first step of a long run. England vs. Croatia is one of the most anticipated group stage games after deep runs in major tournaments over the past decade.
Ghana and Panama will meet in the third game as the Black Stars could once again surprise in this tournament. The final opening game will see a Colombian team looking to get back on track when it takes on an Uzbekistan team that will likely be full of energy, coached by an Italian legend.
Portugal vs. DR Congo: How to Watch
When: Wednesday, June 17, 1 p.m. ET
Where: Houston
TV: FOX
Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One
Group K gets underway on Wednesday with Portugal opening its much-anticipated World Cup campaign against DR Congo in Houston.
Ranked fifth in the latest FIFA World Rankings, much of the team’s spotlight is on Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be playing in his sixth World Cup. At 41, Ronaldo is set to become the second-oldest outfield player in World Cup history behind only Cameroon legend Roger Milla, who played in the 1994 tournament in the United States at the age of 42.
For Ronaldo, this is likely his last opportunity to win the tournament. His international career has been defined by leading Portugal to the 2016 European Championship. At the World Cup, the furthest he reached was the semifinals in 2006. In the four tournaments since, Portugal has had two group stage exits, one elimination from the Round of 16, and one quarterfinal exit.
But Portugal is showing signs of returning to the world’s elite under head coach Roberto Martinez, who was hired in 2023. At Euro 2024, Portugal won its group and then advanced to the quarterfinals before being stopped by France on penalties. Portugal won the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League with a win over Germany in the semifinal, followed by a win over Spain on penalties in the final. Finally, the Portuguese won their World Cup qualifying group with ease, outscoring opponents 20-7 over six games.
Ronaldo has shown few signs of aging in recent years. Under Martinez, Ronaldo has made 26 appearances and scored 22 goals for Portugal, with many goals coming in important games.
Of course, Ronaldo has a strong supporting case that includes top playmaker Bruno Fernandes, 31, of Manchester United and Real Madrid-bound midfielder Bernardo Silva, 31, who will be playing in his third World Cup.
Like Ronaldo, Silva and Fernandes might also be playing in their final World Cup. After this tournament, Portugal might see a massive change of the guard.
Cristiano Ronaldo will play his sixth World Cup (Getty).
Ranked No. 46 in the FIFA World Rankings, the DR Congo returns to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when the country was called Zaire. While it was a significant accomplishment to become the first Sub-Saharan African team to qualify for the World Cup, Zaire was outscored by its opponents 14-0.
DR Congo qualified for the World Cup after finishing second in CAF Group B behind Senegal. That put the Leopards into the intercontinental playoff, where they prevailed 1-0 over Jamaica.
Most of the DR Congo consists of players who currently play for European clubs. Nine players played in Europe’s traditional top five leagues in the 2025-26 season.
The team’s attack is led by Yoane Wissa, who joined Newcastle United in 2025 for a £50 million transfer fee. Real Betis striker Cédric Bakambu, 35, has a lot of experience but has scored just six league goals in his last three seasons.
But another area of strength for DR Congo is its two wingbacks, West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Lens’ Arthur Masuaku, who are both effective in getting into the attack. DR Congo has several effective players, but Portugal is the heavy favorite.
Portugal vs. DR Congo: Player To Watch
Forward · Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo: One of the greatest players of all time will likely get his final World Cup underway in this game. At 41 years old and with 228 caps under his belt, Ronaldo is not simply a nostalgic act in this tournament. He is still a remarkably effective striker who has been playing terrific soccer for Portugal since Martinez came on board in 2023. But at this tournament and in this game, expect Ronaldo to play with intensity and desperation, knowing that time is running out.
England vs. Croatia: How to watch
When: Wednesday, June 17, 4 p.m. ET
Where: Dallas
TV: FOX
Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One
In one of the marquee group stage games of this World Cup, England takes on Croatia on Wednesday afternoon at Dallas Stadium in a matchup of teams who are expected to advance out of Group L.
Ranked 4th in the latest FIFA Rankings, England holds realistic ambitions of winning the tournament. The Three Lions were stellar in World Cup qualifying, winning all eight games and outscoring opponents 22-0. At Euro 2024, England advanced to the final, where it narrowly lost to Spain 2-1 in a hard-fought matchup against one of the world’s elite teams.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel has done an impressive job with England since taking over at the start of January 2025, overseeing the perfect World Cup qualifying effort. He is just the third foreign manager of England, and his contract has already been extended through Euro 2028.
Harry Kane will lead the attack for England. (Photo by Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images)
Managed by Zlatko Dalić, Croatia will be a much tougher test for England than anyone the Three Lions faced in World Cup qualifying. Croatia qualified for this World Cup also through a strong, unbeaten campaign with seven wins and a draw over eight games.
The strength of this Croatian team is its experience and its tactical organization under Dalić. Luka Modrić, 40, is one of the many aging superstars of this tournament along with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Like those players, he is not simply along for the ride and he is expected to be a focal point of Croatia’s game plan.
Croatia’s roster is a blend of youth and experience. On the older side, along with Modrić, there are Ivan Perišić, 37, Mateo Kovačić, 32, Andrej Kramarić, 34, and Mario Pasalić, 31, who have all been part of this highly accomplished generation of Croatian players.
This tournament will also see Croatia turn to promising younger players such as Inter Milan midfielder Petar Sučić and Como attacking midfielder Martin Baturina. MLS fans might also be familiar with two Croatian players who currently play in the league – Petar Musa of FC Dallas and Marco Pašalić of Orlando City.
Croatia is the underdog in this game, but this game will be a tactical battle. If England plays an up-tempo game, it will likely prevail through individual talent. If Croatia’s midfield can slow the game down, it might frustrate England and be a recipe for an upset.
England vs. Croatia: Player To Watch
Forward · England
Harry Kane: There are a lot of stars to watch in this game, but Kane is an elite forward who, at age 32, is in the best shape and form of his career. England will desperately want to make a deep run and contend for this World Cup. Those ambitions are completely tied to Kane, as there is a big drop-off in scoring options after him. Momentum is critical for all strikers and scoring against Croatia will be important not just for winning this game, but in setting the table as a contender this summer.
Ghana vs. Panama: How to Watch
When: Wednesday, June 17, 7 p.m. ET
Where: Toronto
TV: FS1
Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One
With Group L heavyweights Croatia and England playing earlier in the day, the group’s other two teams, in Ghana and Panama, get underway on Wednesday night at Toronto Stadium in an important game that offers a path of advancement to the winner. With eight of 12 third-place teams qualifying for the knockouts, a win for either team might be enough. For both Panama and Ghana, this game is the best opportunity to secure three points.
Since 2020, Panama has been coached by Thomas Christiansen from Denmark. Over those six years, Christiansen has built Panama into one of the stronger teams in CONCACAF. At the 2024 Copa América, he led his team out of the group stage after a win over the United States. At the 2025 Nations League, Panama again defeated the United States in an important game. This time in the semifinal, to advance to the final, where it was beaten by Mexico.
With Mexico, Canada, and the United States qualifying automatically, CONCACAF World Cup qualifying was severely diluted. But Panama took full advantage in going unbeaten over 10 games with a 7-3-0 record.
Ranked No. 34 in the FIFA World Rankings, Panama does not have any players currently with a club in Europe’s traditional top leagues. The biggest concern for Panama is simply age. With an average age of 30.4 years, Panama is the oldest team in the tournament.
Alberto Quintero, 38, has 140 caps for the national team and captain Aníbal Godoy, 36, has been the team’s midfield anchor. José Fajardo, 32, and Cecillo Waterman, 35, have been the team’s best attackers over the past decade.
Antoine Semenyo of Ghana in action. (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images)
In the past cycle, Colombia has been attempting to get back on track, although the team is still very inconsistent. The 2024 Copa América was positive as Los Cafeteros advanced to the final before falling to Argentina in extra time.
In 2026 World Cup qualifying, Colombia picked up impressive wins at home over Brazil and Argentina and then left Buenos Aires with a 1-1 draw against defending World Cup champs. But at one point, Colombia also went winless in six straight games, including a three-game losing streak.
In March, Colombia played two friendlies in the United States but lost both times, first a 2-1 loss to Croatia, followed by a 3-1 loss to France in Florida. It was a pair of results that gave pause to Colombia’s ability to compete against top European teams.
Bayern Munich winger Luis Díaz is the team’s best offensive player, while captain James Rodriguez, 34, remains a wild card. Rodriguez is one of the best players of all time for the Colombian national team, including winning the World Cup Golden Boot in 2014. But his club career in recent years has been very underwhelming, and it is hard to know what to expect.
Colombia is the favorite in this game but is prone to prolonged slumps. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan has nothing to lose and should be full of energy under Cannavaro.
Uzbekistan vs. Colombia: Player to Watch
Forward · Colombia
Luis Díaz: The Bayern Munich winger is the most talented player on either roster and is one of the world’s elite players at his position. He is a complete winger with his speed, dribbling skills, and defensive ability. He is coming off a 2025-26 season where he scored 26 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions for the Bundesliga champions. He remains critical to Colombia’s ambitions of making a run in the knockout stages.
