And there is a lot to look forward to in this round, as two of the teams considered semifinal contenders are playing their tournament openers.
Portugal vs. DR Congo, 7PM CET
You cannot say Portugal without also saying Cristiano Ronaldo, at least not in terms of the World Cup.
CR7 may have turned 41 earlier this year, possibly making the 2026 World Cup his last appearance on the biggest stage of them all, but Portugal is far more than just Ronaldo.
The team is ranked fifth in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking going into the tournament, and the Portuguese are huge favourites against DR Congo, which is ranked 45th.
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The nation took part in the 1974 World Cup as Zaire, where it conceded 14 goals and failed to score a single one.
But anything can happen at the World Cup, as proven by Cape Verde managing to secure a draw against Spain earlier in the tournament.
England vs. Croatia, 10PM CET
With a FIFA World Ranking of fourth going into the tournament, England is considered one of the most likely teams to reach the semifinals.
But if the Three Lions need a little more motivation ahead of their first match, they may want to think back to the 2018 World Cup, when they lost 2–1 to Croatia in the semifinals. Croatia is currently ranked 11th in the FIFA World Ranking and is the very team England is facing in its 2026 opener.
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If you are going to watch just one match in this round, this is the one to pick!
Ghana vs. Panama, 1AM CET
Panama is entering its second-ever World Cup after qualifying for the first time in 2018.
They will face Ghana, ranked 73rd in the FIFA World Ranking, which will be without midfielder Thomas Partey after he was denied entry to Canada over allegations of sexual assault, according to The Guardian.
The four-time African Cup of Nations champions are looking to reinvent themselves after failing to qualify for AFCON 2025, but their opening match against Panama, ranked 34th in the FIFA World Ranking, will be no easy task.
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Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, 4AM CET
Colombia will be looking to the nation’s all-time leading scorer and captain, James Rodríguez, as well as Bayern Munich star Luis Díaz as it kicks off its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.
They are facing a team participating in the World Cup for the first time ever: Uzbekistan, which finished second in its qualifying group, two points behind Iran.
Colombia is ranked 14th in the FIFA World Ranking going into the tournament. Uzbekistan is ranked 50th.
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