Underdogs Uzbekistan will aim to cause a major upset when they take on Portugal in Group K of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been a spectator as Lionel Messi increased his tally to five goals in the tournament, setting a new record for the most goals scored at a World Cup.

He has also watched Kylian Mbappe score four times for France and Erling Haaland do the same for Norway, along with several other forwards finding the back of the net in what has been a goal-laden competition so far.

Ronaldo, however, endured frustration in Portugal’s opening clash against DR Congo and is yet to score, making him the centre of attention once again as Portugal prepare to face Uzbekistan, who are making their World Cup debut, on Tuesday.

Portugal WIN - 1/7

Draw - 7/1

Uzbekistan WIN - 18/1

The match is scheduled to kick off at 12 pm local time in the US (6 pm UK time) at Houston Stadium.

Portugal will be seeking their first victory of the tournament after being held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their previous outing.

Uzbekistan, on the other hand, will look to pull off a surprise result after suffering defeat in their opening game against Colombia, who currently lead Group K.

A win for Portugal would place them in a strong position to qualify for the knockout rounds as one of the top two teams before their challenging final group fixture against Colombia.

Head coach Roberto Martinez may consider making changes to his side following a lacklustre display in their opening match against DR Congo.

The focus remains firmly on Ronaldo, who at 41 years old seems to be losing his edge at the elite level, having gone ten consecutive appearances in major tournaments without finding the net.

While dropping him appears unlikely for multiple reasons, Martinez will face scrutiny if he fails to maximise the potential of a squad brimming with creative talent, including Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Vitinha and Joao Neves anchoring the midfield.

Uzbekistan showed plenty of fight in their loss to Colombia but expectations remain modest for the newcomers in such a tough group.

To hold off Portugal in Houston, they will need an outstanding effort from their key player, Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov.

Nevertheless, all signs point towards Portugal claiming their first victory of this World Cup campaign.

Score prediction: Portugal 3-0 Uzbekistan

Fans can watch the Portugal vs Uzbekistan Group K clash of the 2026 World Cup live and free-to-air.

The match will be broadcast live on ITV1 in the United Kingdom, FOX in the United States, and SBS in Australia.

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