Uzbekistan Makes World Cup Debut Against Colombia; Ghana Faces Panama

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will see two historic debuts on June 18, as Uzbekistan and Ghana play their inaugural tournament matches. Uzbekistan, the fourth and final debutant nation, will face Colombia at Aztekastadion in Mexico City at 04:00 Swedish time, while Ghana takes on Panama at Toronto Stadium at 01:00 Swedish time. Uzbekistan's entry marks the first time a Central Asian nation has participated in the World Cup.

Uzbekistan's qualification was led by former captain Timur Kapadze, who compiled a successful qualifying campaign and earned 119 caps for the national team. However, the Uzbek Football Federation subsequently demoted Kapadze to assistant coach in favour of Fabio Cannavaro, the Italian World Cup winner from 2006. Kapadze subsequently departed the role entirely. The team will rely heavily on striker and captain Eldor Shomurodov, a 30-year-old who leads the nation's all-time scoring record with 44 goals in 92 appearances and won the Turkish league's top scorer award this season with İstanbul Başakşehir.

Ghana's debut match will be complicated by the absence of midfielder Thomas Partey, who was denied entry to Canada due to pending rape allegations. However, Partey was granted a visa to the United States and will be available for Ghana's two subsequent group matches in Foxborough and Philadelphia. Ghana captain Jordan Ayew, playing for Leicester City, stands one cap away from becoming his nation's most-capped player with 121 international appearances, a record currently held jointly with his older brother André Ayew.

Colombia presents a notable challenge for Uzbekistan, despite defensive vulnerabilities evident in qualifying. The South American side conceded 18 goals during qualification—the most among all CONMEBOL nations that advanced to the tournament—but features experienced defenders including Crystal Palace's Daniel Muñoz, Bologna's Jhon Lucumí, and Galatasaray's Davinson Sánchez.

Among Ghana's notable players is defender Kojo Peprah Oppong, who previously played for Swedish second-division side GIF Sundsvall two years ago and has since established himself as a prospect with French club Nice, appearing in 28 matches this season.