New Delhi, June 17 -- Debutants Uzbekistan will be taking on Colombia in their first Group K encounter at the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Mexico City Stadium on Thursday. While Colombia qualified after finishing third in the CONMEBOL Qualifying after losing just four out of 18 played, Uzbekistan, also known as White Wolves, excelled in the second and third rounds of AFC qualifying, to book a final spot after FIFA expanded the World Cup to 48 teams.

Colombia returns to football's grandest stage hungry for redemption after failing to make the 2022 edition in Qatar. It reached the knockout round in Russia in 2018, losing a penalty shootout against England. For Colombia, this will be finest last chapters of James Rodriguez's career.

The 2026...