Today at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: June 17

By Deniss Novickis | Published: June 17, 2026, 08:33

The first round of the group stage will end tonight, as England once again begin their mission to bring it home. The 41-year-old Portugal captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, is ready to begin his final World Cup campaign, while Uzbekistan will finally make their debut. MightyTips presents a World Cup value bet of the day and a risky parlay of the day, shares a prediction on all games of the Matchday, and presents some interesting facts about the tournament.

Match 23: Portugal - DR Congo, 19:00 CET, June 17
Match 22: England - Croatia, 22:00 CET, June 17
Match 21: Ghana - Panama, 01:00 CET, June 18
Match 24: Uzbekistan - Colombia, 04:00 CET, June 18

This time, it’s the first game of the Matchday we’ll talk about. Studying the statistics of both teams, we immediately saw that in the last 13 DR Congo matches, over 2,5 goals were scored just twice. This is a very defensive team that mostly thinks about safety, especially against stronger opponents. Portugal are definitely of a higher class; however, we can’t see them winning big in this match. They will likely secure all three points, probably 1-0 or 2-0, yet it’s not a high-scoring team either. Under 2,5 goals at 2.10 looks very reasonable for a bet here.

Portugal begin another World Cup campaign carrying high expectations and one of the tournament’s deepest squads. The spotlight will naturally fall on Ronaldo, but Portugal’s creative core of Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Rafael Leão remains equally important. Roberto Martínez’s side arrive largely injury-free, although defender Rúben Dias’ fitness is worth monitoring before kick-off. For DR Congo, this marks a long-awaited return to the World Cup stage after a 52-year absence. Much of their attacking threat comes from Yoane Wissa, whose pace and movement could test Portugal’s defence. The match also offers an intriguing contrast between Portugal’s technical quality and DR Congo’s athleticism, energy and determination to make an immediate impression on their return to football’s biggest stage.

England’s opening Group L fixture brings together two nations with recent World Cup pedigree. The main talking point from the England camp is fitness. Bukayo Saka has an achilles issue and may not be ready for a full match, while defender Tino Livramento has been ruled out of the tournament entirely and replaced by Trevoh Chalobah. England’s blend of attacking stars and experienced tournament performers faces a Croatia side that continues to rely on its technical quality and composure in major competitions. Midfield control will be a key battleground, while England will hope leaders such as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham can set the tone early in the tournament. With both teams viewed as contenders to progress deep into the competition, this feels like one of the standout group-stage matches.

Ghana and Panama open their campaigns knowing early points could prove crucial in a competitive Group L. Ghana arrive after an impressive qualifying campaign and will look to attacking talents such as Jordan Ayew to provide inspiration in the final third. Midfield experience could also be important, and Ghana suffered a huge blow, as Thomas Partey was denied a visa to enter Canada. Panama are no longer tournament newcomers and have developed into a disciplined, well-organised side under Thomas Christiansen. Captain Aníbal Godoy, creative midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla and attacking full-back Michael Murillo form the backbone of a team comfortable defending compactly before breaking quickly.

This fixture carries historic significance for Uzbekistan, who are making their World Cup debut after years of near misses. Managed by Fabio Cannavaro, they have built their success on defensive discipline and organization, with Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov expected to play a central role. Captain Eldor Shomurodov will also be vital as Uzbekistan seek to balance ambition with the realities of facing an experienced opponent. Colombia return to the World Cup after missing the 2022 edition and arrive with renewed confidence following a strong run under Néstor Lorenzo. Luis Díaz remains their most dangerous attacking weapon, while James Rodríguez continues to provide creativity and leadership. The key theme may be whether Uzbekistan can frustrate Colombia’s talented attackers long enough to turn the match into a tense, tactical battle.

At 41 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to redefine international longevity. He is appearing at a record sixth World Cup, 23 years after making his senior debut in 2003. Ronaldo already owns the men's international records for both appearances and goals, having amassed 228 caps and 143 goals for Portugal. He became the first male player to reach 200 international appearances and remains the only player to surpass that milestone. Beyond the numbers, he has captained Portugal to EURO 2016 and two UEFA Nations League titles, cementing his status as the most decorated and influential player in his country's history.

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— Out Of Context Football (@nocontextfooty) June 16, 2026

On June 17, 1994, the World Cup kicked off in the United States, with defending champions Germany defeating Bolivia 1-0 at Chicago's Soldier Field. The tournament played a major role in the growth of the game in the U.S. and the eventual launch of Major League Soccer (MLS).