Groups K and L Picks and Predictions: 2026 FIFA World Cup
Written by: Nate Hornung
Last Update: Fri Jun 05, 2026, 5:33 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
FIFA World Cup
We've reached our last group preview with the 2026 FIFA World Cup beginning next Thursday. Let's lock in our last few futures as we preview Groups K and L, giving our favorite picks in both groups.
Check out our other Group Previews below.
- Groups A and B Picks
- Groups C and D Predictions
- Groups E and F Best Bets
- Groups G and H Picks
- Groups I and J Predictions
2026 FIFA World Cup – Group K Picks
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal are heavy favorites to win Group K. Will they get it done?
Group K gives us two heavy hitters in Portugal and Colombia, while DR Congo and Uzbekistan likely battle for third place.
Odds courtesy of Lucky Rebel Sportsbook.
Odds to Win Group K
- Portugal -210
- Colombia +220
- DR Congo +1100
- Uzbekistan +2800
The top two are pretty much shoe-ins to advance, as Portugal is -5000 and Colombia is -800 to advance past group stage. Trouble begins to arise when looking at the other two, as DR Congo are -110 to advance and Uzbekistan is +165. What that tells me, is that DR Congo and Uzbekistan will be battling to avoid last place in this group, but neither should qualify for the Round of 32.
You can find Portugal to top the group and Colombia to finish second at even money, but that's not good enough for me personally. Too much could go sideways. However, I did find a bet worth wagering on.
Group K Best Bet: Colombia to Score in All Group Games (-125)
To me, this is the best value in the group. Of course value is subjective, but I think Colombia could surprise some people in this tournament. Portugal is stacked, on the attack, in the midfield, and at fullback with Joao Cancelo and Nuno Mendes. But I worry about their centerbacks, especially facing a guy like Luis Diaz. Against Congo and Uzbekistan, they should have no problem scoring.
So essentially I see this as taking their team total over 0.5 goals against Portugal, and for -125 I'll take that bet. The two end group stage against each other, so our bet might already be a loser. But if not, like I expect, all we need is one goal against Portugal, which is not too much to ask in my eyes.
2026 FIFA World Cup – Group L Picks
Luka Modric leads a Croatian team who made it all the way to the World Cup Final in 2018. Will they get back there?
Our final group gives us England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Fairly lopsided, as we have two of the best in Europe, Panama who ranks No. 34 in the nation, and finally, Ghana, ranking No. 73 in the world coming into this tournament.
Odds to Win Group L
- England -290
- Croatia +300
- Ghana +1000
- Panama +4000
Group L Best Bet: Ghana to Finish Last in Group L (+220)
Let's just break this down for a second. England is a massive favorite, and they shouldn't lose. Croatia might compete with the English for the top spot, but I see their floor at second in this quad. Panama is a huge underdog in this group, just look at the betting odds. But take a peek at the world rankings.
Panama is nearly 40 spots higher than Ghana. They did not make it out of the group stage in 2014 or in 2022. Panama has only qualified in 2018, failing to make it out of group stage. But with the extended field, it is easier for teams to excel early on, especially weaker teams. I see the Panamanians playing with some extra motivation, making them a slight dark horse to qualify for the Round of 32 at +190. But for better than 2-1 odds, I will gladly root for Panama to beat Ghana in their group stage opener, making this less of a sweat going forward.
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- FIFA World Cup Betting Guide
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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