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Uzbekistan and Colombia Draw 0-0 in 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K Opener
Uzbekistan and Colombia played to a 0-0 draw in their opening Group K match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Mexico City Stadium on June 17, marking the first-ever meeting between the nations. Uzbekistan made their World Cup debut under coach Fabio Cannavaro, while Colombia competed in their seventh World Cup appearance.
Quick Facts
Who
Uzbekistan
What
2026 FIFA World Cup Group K opening match
When
June 17, 2026
Where
Mexico City Stadium
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K opening match
- goalless draw
- first-ever meeting between nations
- Uzbekistan World Cup debut
- Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan and Colombia played to a goalless draw in their opening Group K match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 17 at Mexico City Stadium. The result marked a historic encounter, as it was the first-ever meeting between the two nations on the international football stage.
For Uzbekistan, competing in their maiden FIFA World Cup, the draw represented a solid start under newly appointed head coach Fabio Cannavaro. The Central Asian side demonstrated defensive resilience throughout their qualifying campaign, losing just one of 16 matches and conceding the fewest goals in their group with only seven conceded across ten matches. Uzbekistan finished second to Iran in AFC qualifying, with striker Eldor Shomurodov proving instrumental—the all-time top scorer contributed five goals and four assists during the qualification phase. Cannavaro, the 2006 FIFA World Cup-winning captain with Italy, brings significant tournament experience to his second spell as a national team manager.
Colombia, competing in their seventh World Cup and first since 2018, came into the tournament as CONMEBOL's third-ranked qualifier. The South Americans scored 28 goals during qualifying—only Argentina scored more—and demonstrated attacking prowess with 28.8 expected goals and 96 shots on target, both leading figures in the region. Luis Díaz was among the tournament's elite scorers with seven goals, while James Rodríguez led the assist charts with seven. Despite Colombia's strong qualifying record and history of topping World Cup groups in 2014 and 2018, they were unable to break down a disciplined Uzbek defence. Notably, the 0-0 result ended Colombia's run without a goalless draw at World Cups—the only nation with more World Cup matches without a 0-0 draw is Austria, with 29.
Both sides will look to improve in their subsequent Group K fixtures as the tournament progresses. Uzbekistan's defensive organization and Colombia's attacking depth suggest the group remains highly competitive.
Why This Matters
This match highlights the competitive balance in Group K and sets the stage for the tournament's early narrative. For Uzbekistan, holding Colombia—a CONMEBOL top-three qualifier with strong attacking credentials—to a draw is a significant defensive achievement that validates their path to the World Cup. For Colombia, the result breaks their World Cup streak without goalless draws, a statistical anomaly that may shift their tactical approach in upcoming fixtures. The result demonstrates that even established attacking sides face challenges against disciplined defences in knockout-stage pressure scenarios.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 17, 2026
WireUzbekistan vs Colombia match at Mexico City Stadium ends 0-0
Jun 18, 2026
WireMatch statistics published by Opta Analyst