{"id":16259,"date":"2026-06-28T03:03:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T21:33:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?p=16259"},"modified":"2026-06-28T03:06:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T21:36:07","slug":"uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Group K | Atlanta Stadium | 28 Jun 2026 | 5:00 AM IST<\/em><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Page Contents:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#Match_Overview\" title=\"Match Overview\">Match Overview<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#Uzbekistan_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\" title=\"Uzbekistan \u2014 Team Analysis\">Uzbekistan \u2014 Team Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#DR_Congo_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\" title=\"DR Congo \u2014 Team Analysis\">DR Congo \u2014 Team Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#Head-to-Head\" title=\"Head-to-Head\">Head-to-Head<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#Tactical_Preview\" title=\"Tactical Preview\">Tactical Preview<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#Key_Storylines\" title=\"Key Storylines\">Key Storylines<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#Our_Prediction\" title=\"Our Prediction\">Our Prediction<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Match_Overview\"><\/span><strong>Match Overview<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neither side can advance as a top-two finisher from Group K. But DR Congo still have a case \u2014 a win gives them four points and puts them in contention for one of the eight best third-place slots in the tournament. For Uzbekistan, on zero points from two games, it is about ending their debut World Cup campaign with something to show.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>\u25ba Catch every kick live on ZEE 5 \u2014 India&#8217;s official home of the <\/strong><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\"><strong><em>FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em><strong>. Download the ZEE 5 app.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Uzbekistan_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/uzbekistan\/uzbekistan-squad\"><strong>Uzbekistan<\/strong><\/a><strong> \u2014 Team Analysis<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fabio Cannavaro \u2014 Italy&#8217;s 2006 World Cup-winning captain and Ballon d&#8217;Or winner \u2014 has guided Uzbekistan to its first-ever appearance at a FIFA World Cup. Results have been hard: a 3-1 loss to Colombia and a 5-0 defeat to Portugal. But the campaign itself is a milestone for Central Asian football, and Cannavaro has spoken throughout about building something for the future.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Abbosbek Fayzullaev\u2019s tap-in against Colombia showed there is an end product in this squad when chances arrive. Abdukodir Khusanov, the Manchester City defender, has been their best individual performer, with genuine class at the back that few of his teammates can match. Captain Eldor Shomurodov leads the attack, and his hold-up play will be crucial if Uzbekistan are to find anything here.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Player: <\/strong>Abbosbek Fayzullaev\u2014 Uzbekistan&#8217;s most dangerous attacker, Fayzullaev scored their only World Cup goal against Colombia and carries the threat on the break. A strong performance here would be a fitting end to a landmark campaign.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"DR_Congo_%E2%80%94_Team_Analysis\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/congo-dr\/congo-dr-squad\"><strong>DR Congo<\/strong><\/a><strong> \u2014 Team Analysis<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DR Congo return to the World Cup for the first time in 52 years \u2014 since they appeared as Zaire at the 1974 tournament in West Germany. They held Portugal to a 1-1 draw before losing narrowly to Colombia, conceding only Daniel Munoz&#8217;s 76th-minute goal across those 180 minutes. The defensive discipline from Sebastien Desabre&#8217;s side has been genuine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Captain Chancel Mbemba \u2014 Lille&#8217;s veteran centre-back and DR Congo&#8217;s most-capped player \u2014 organises the back three. Arthur Masuaku provided the cross for Yoane Wissa&#8217;s equaliser against Portugal, and Cedric Bakambu leads the attack with 21 international goals to his name. There is experience and quality throughout this squad, enough to justify confidence heading into Atlanta.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Player: <\/strong>Yoane Wissa \u2014 Wissa scored DR Congo&#8217;s first World Cup goal in 52 years, a header against Portugal that silenced Houston. Quick, direct and dangerous in behind, he is the player Uzbekistan will be most wary of.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Head-to-Head\"><\/span><strong>Head-to-Head<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These two nations have almost never shared a senior international pitch. No World Cup history between them, no meaningful rivalry. In Atlanta, they face each other in what is, for all practical purposes, a first real encounter.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tactical_Preview\"><\/span><strong>Tactical Preview<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Desabre&#8217;s back three has been the foundation \u2014 Mbemba commanding at the centre, Masuaku providing width at wing-back, and Wissa and Bakambu working in tandem up front. Against a side that has conceded eight goals in two matches, DR Congo will arrive in Atlanta believing they can win and win well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cannavaro&#8217;s 3-4-2-1 provides more structure than the results suggest. Khusanov anchors the defence, Fayzullaev and Shomurodov are the attacking outlets. If Uzbekistan can cut the defensive errors that cost them against Colombia and Portugal and force DR Congo to work hard for their chances, a point remains possible.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Storylines\"><\/span><strong>Key Storylines<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Cannavaro lifted the World Cup as Italy&#8217;s captain in 2006 and was named the best player on the planet that same year. Two decades on, he&#8217;s pacing the touchline for Uzbekistan. The scorelines have been heavy, but getting Central Asia to their first World Cup was an extraordinary achievement in itself.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Our_Prediction\"><\/span><strong>Our Prediction<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DR Congo is comfortably the stronger side on the evidence of this group. Their defensive record against Portugal and Colombia is outstanding for a team returning to the World Cup after five decades, and the quality of Wissa, Bakambu and Masuaku makes them capable of hurting any side at this level.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Uzbekistan will battle \u2014 Cannavaro won&#8217;t send them out without belief. But DR Congo has more quality, more cohesion and more motivation. A Leopards win feels like the likely outcome, though Uzbekistan could yet claim their first-ever World Cup point if the chances fall their way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u25ba Don&#8217;t miss a moment of the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 action. Stream live and on-demand on <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/myaccount\/subscription?plan-ref=0-11-7467&amp;asset-ref=0-6-4z5914493&amp;visibility=SELECTED&amp;context=FIFA\"><em>ZEE5 FIFA Subscription<\/em><\/a><em> 5 \u2014 wherever you are in India. Download the ZEE 5 app today.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.<\/em><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Group K | Atlanta Stadium | 28 Jun 2026 | 5:00 AM IST Match Overview Neither side can advance as a top-two finisher from Group K. But DR Congo still have a case \u2014 a win gives them four points and puts them in contention for one of the eight best third-place slots in the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":15163,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3019],"tags":[3031,3103,3345],"class_list":["post-16259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-group-k","tag-uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-match-preview"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Sourav K","author_link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"DR Congo vs Uzbekistan preview, prediction, team news &amp; key players in FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group K. Expert match analysis.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"DR Congo vs Uzbekistan preview, prediction, team news &amp; key players in FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group K. Expert match analysis.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ZEE5 Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-27T21:33:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-27T21:36:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1132\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sourav K\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ZEE5India\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ZEE5India\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sourav K\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sourav K\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033\"},\"headline\":\"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-27T21:33:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-27T21:36:07+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/\"},\"wordCount\":764,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png\",\"keywords\":[\"FIFA World cup 2026\",\"Group K\",\"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo: Match Preview\"],\"articleSection\":[\"FIFA World Cup 2026\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/\",\"name\":\"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-27T21:33:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-27T21:36:07+00:00\",\"description\":\"DR Congo vs Uzbekistan preview, prediction, team news & key players in FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group K. Expert match analysis.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png\",\"width\":1132,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"Zee5 FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"FIFA World Cup 2026\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"ZEE5 Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"ZEE5\",\"alternateName\":\"Zee Entertainment Enterprises\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"ZEE5\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/ZEE5India\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCXOgAl4w-FQero1ERbGHpXQ\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033\",\"name\":\"Sourav K\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Sourav K\"},\"description\":\"With over 10 years of experience in sports journalism, Sourav is a passionate football writer who has been closely following the game since the 2002 FIFA World Cup. What began as a childhood fascination with football has evolved into a lifelong commitment to understanding and analysing the sport at every level. As both an ardent fan and a former football player, Sourav brings a unique perspective to his writing. He blends firsthand playing experience with in-depth statistical analysis. Having witnessed the rise and fall of footballing dynasties across multiple FIFA World Cups, UEFA Champions League campaigns, Premier League seasons, and international tournaments, he offers readers insightful, balanced, and engaging coverage of the beautiful game. His work is driven by a desire to make football analysis accessible to everyone, right from casual followers looking to stay informed to passionate supporters seeking deeper tactical insights.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview","description":"DR Congo vs Uzbekistan preview, prediction, team news & key players in FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group K. Expert match analysis.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview","og_description":"DR Congo vs Uzbekistan preview, prediction, team news & key players in FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group K. Expert match analysis.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/","og_site_name":"ZEE5 Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/","article_published_time":"2026-06-27T21:33:29+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-27T21:36:07+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1132,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Sourav K","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ZEE5India","twitter_site":"@ZEE5India","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Sourav K","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/"},"author":{"name":"Sourav K","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033"},"headline":"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview","datePublished":"2026-06-27T21:33:29+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-27T21:36:07+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/"},"wordCount":764,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png","keywords":["FIFA World cup 2026","Group K","Uzbekistan vs DR Congo: Match Preview"],"articleSection":["FIFA World Cup 2026"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/","name":"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png","datePublished":"2026-06-27T21:33:29+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-27T21:36:07+00:00","description":"DR Congo vs Uzbekistan preview, prediction, team news & key players in FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group K. Expert match analysis.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png","width":1132,"height":400,"caption":"Zee5 FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"FIFA World Cup 2026","item":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Preview"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/","name":"ZEE5 Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization","name":"ZEE5","alternateName":"Zee Entertainment Enterprises","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"ZEE5"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/","https:\/\/x.com\/ZEE5India","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCXOgAl4w-FQero1ERbGHpXQ"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033","name":"Sourav K","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Sourav K"},"description":"With over 10 years of experience in sports journalism, Sourav is a passionate football writer who has been closely following the game since the 2002 FIFA World Cup. What began as a childhood fascination with football has evolved into a lifelong commitment to understanding and analysing the sport at every level. As both an ardent fan and a former football player, Sourav brings a unique perspective to his writing. He blends firsthand playing experience with in-depth statistical analysis. Having witnessed the rise and fall of footballing dynasties across multiple FIFA World Cups, UEFA Champions League campaigns, Premier League seasons, and international tournaments, he offers readers insightful, balanced, and engaging coverage of the beautiful game. His work is driven by a desire to make football analysis accessible to everyone, right from casual followers looking to stay informed to passionate supporters seeking deeper tactical insights.","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"}]}},"blog_post_layout_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png",150,53,false],"full":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png",1132,400,false]},"categories_names":{"3019":{"name":"FIFA World Cup 2026","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"}},"tags_names":{"3031":{"name":"FIFA World cup 2026","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/tag\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"},"3103":{"name":"Group K","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/tag\/group-k\/"},"3345":{"name":"Uzbekistan vs DR Congo: Match Preview","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/tag\/uzbekistan-vs-dr-congo-match-preview\/"}},"comments_number":"0","wpmagazine_modules_lite_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png",150,53,false],"cvmm-medium":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png",300,106,false],"cvmm-medium-plus":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png",305,108,false],"cvmm-portrait":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png",400,141,false],"cvmm-medium-square":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png",600,212,false],"cvmm-large":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png",1024,362,false],"cvmm-small":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png",130,46,false],"full":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png",1132,400,false]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16259"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16288,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16259\/revisions\/16288"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15163"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}