By Juan Samuel Santana Chávez

The activity this Wednesday, June 17th, marked the end of the first matchday of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup with games corresponding to Groups K and L. The day featured standout performances, surprises, and the debut of teams considered favorites to advance to the next round.

One of the most striking results was England's 4-2 victory over Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Thomas Tuchel's squad showed offensive power with a brace from Harry Kane, in addition to goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford. For the Croatian side, Martin Baturina and Bruno Petković scored, but it wasn't enough to avoid defeat.

In Houston, Portugal could only manage a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo, an unexpected result in Group K. Meanwhile, Ghana edged out Panama by the narrowest of margins with a 1-0 scoreline, a result that places the Africans in a favorable position within Group L.

The day will conclude with the clash between Uzbekistan and Colombia at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, a duel that will define the provisional leadership of Group K. With these matches, the 2026 World Cup continues to deliver excitement and confirm that no team has a guaranteed path in the tournament.