{"id":1462702,"date":"2026-06-24T14:26:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T13:26:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=news&p=1462702"},"modified":"2026-06-24T14:26:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T13:26:13","slug":"group-k-permutations","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/world-cup\/group-k-permutations\/","title":{"rendered":"World Cup Group K permutations: How can Portugal join Colombia in the knockout stages?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The final round of games of the 2026 World Cup<\/a> group stage take place between Wednesday and Sunday. We’ve taken a look at the Group K permutations.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve broken down each group, with this article focusing on Group K. Colombia<\/a> have already sealed their place in the Round of 32 but it remains to be seen who will join them. Portugal<\/a> hold the advantage but both DR Congo<\/a> and Uzbekistan<\/a> will want to make history themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are all the permutations for those groups as well as who each team could face in the next round. It’s a little complicated but we’ve tried to make it as easy we can!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

How could Group K<\/a> finish?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Result A<\/th>Result B<\/th>Outcome<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Portugal win<\/td>DR Congo win<\/td>1. Portugal (7 points)
2. Colombia (6 points)
3. DR Congo (4 points)
4. Uzbekistan (0 points)<\/td><\/tr>
Portugal win<\/td>DR Congo\/Uzbekistan draw<\/td>1. Portugal (7 points)
2. Colombia (6 points)
3. DR Congo (2 points)
4. Uzbekistan (1 point)<\/td><\/tr>
Portugal win<\/td>Uzbekistan win<\/td>1. Portugal (7 points)
2. Colombia (6 points)
3. Uzbekistan (3 points)
4. DR Congo (1 point)<\/td><\/tr>
Portugal\/Colombia draw<\/td>DR Congo win<\/td>1. Colombia (7 points)
2. Portugal (5 points)
3. DR Congo (4 points)
4. Uzbekistan (0 points)<\/td><\/tr>
Portugal\/Colombia draw<\/td>DR Congo\/Uzbekistan draw<\/td>1. Colombia (7 points)
2. Portugal (5 points)
3. DR Congo (2 points)
4. Uzbekistan (1 point)<\/td><\/tr>
Portugal\/Colombia draw<\/td>Uzbekistan win<\/td>1. Colombia (7 points)
2. Portugal (5 points)
3. Uzbekistan (3 points)
4. DR Congo (1 point)<\/td><\/tr>
Colombia win<\/td>DR Congo win<\/td>1. Colombia (9 points)
2. Portugal (4 points)
3. DR Congo (4 points)
4. Uzbekistan (0 points)<\/td><\/tr>
Colombia win<\/td>DR Congo\/Uzbekistan draw<\/td>1. Colombia (9 points)
2. Portugal (4 points)
3. DR Congo (2 points)
4. Uzbekistan (1 point)<\/td><\/tr>
Colombia win<\/td>Uzbekistan win<\/td>1. Colombia (9 points)
2. Portugal (4 points)
3. Uzbekistan (3 points)
4. DR Congo (1 point)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Colombia come into Matchday Three knowing that avoiding a defeat will see them top Group K. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Portugal victory would see them leapfrog Colombia and win the group but any other result will see them finish second….except one. If there is a seven goal swing between Portugal and DR Congo then Portugal will fail to qualify. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That seven goal swing is the only way the DR Congo can finish in the top two but anything other than a Uzbekistan victory will assure the African nation of a third place finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uzbekistan are condemned to finish bottom of the group unless they can beat DR Congo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who could the teams from Group K face in the next round?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Group K winner will take on a nation that finishes third from Group D, E, I, J or L. The current projection shows that team to be Croatia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whoever finishes second will face the nation that finishes second in Group L. That is most likely to be Ghana at the time of writing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current projections show that the side that finishes third in Group K won’t have done enough to make the Round of 32. <\/p>\n\n\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n