Group K at the 2026 World Cup: Results & Market Scorecard

TL;DR:

Group K of the 2026 World Cup is complete. Colombia, Congo DR, Portugal reached the knockout rounds; the group's deepest run was Colombia — Round of 16 — lost on penalties to Switzerland. Spain won the tournament, beating Argentina 1–0 after extra time on July 19. This page keeps the group's result on record and scores how the pre-tournament group-winner markets held up — then points at the 2026-27 club-season contracts trading now.

Group K of the 2026 World Cup featured Portugal, Colombia, Jamaica, Uzbekistan, DR Congo, and New Caledonia. Pre-tournament markets priced Portugal as the clear favorite, trading around 42-55¢ on US prediction markets, with Colombia as the most credible challenger. This page revisits the market's assessment against the verified results.

How Group K finished at the 2026 World Cup

The final standings for Group K are presented below. This reflects the verified results from the tournament, which concluded on July 19, 2026.

How far did Group K teams go in the 2026 World Cup?

Portugal's journey ended in the Round of 16 after a 1–0 defeat to eventual champions Spain. Colombia reached the Round of 16 but lost on penalties to Switzerland. DR Congo was eliminated in the Round of 32, losing 2–1 to England. Jamaica, Uzbekistan, and New Caledonia did not advance past the group stage. The expanded 48-team format saw the top two teams from each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the knockout stages.

What the Group K markets teach

Pre-tournament market sentiment largely favored Portugal, as expected for a top European side. Colombia's strong showing in the Copa América 2024 certainly buoyed their outright contract, keeping them competitive in market pricing for Group K. However, neither side progressed as far as many prediction market participants hoped, demonstrating the inherent unpredictability of the World Cup.

Portugal was indeed the consensus favorite to top Group K, but their early exit in the Round of 16 highlighted the fine margins in World Cup knockout football.

Archived World Cup 2026 market data

For historical analysis, the archived market data from Kalshi and Polymarket for World Cup 2026 contracts remains available. This includes group winner markets, outright winner contracts, and team-specific advancement odds. For a deeper platform-level read on how these markets performed, refer to our archived guide: Kalshi vs Polymarket: World Cup 2026.

What to trade now: the 2026-27 club season

With the World Cup concluded, attention now turns to the upcoming 2026-27 club football season. Federally regulated prediction markets on Kalshi and Polymarket are already active with contracts for major European leagues and competitions. You can trade on outcomes like the Champions League winner, Premier League title and top four finishes, LaLiga champions, Serie A champions, and the next Ballon d'Or winner. Per-match results will also be available throughout the season.

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Sources

Every figure on this page is checked against primary sources — regulator filings, exchange documentation and official results. Prices and rules change; verify with the operator before trading.

1. Kalshi Help Center — fees, funding and account rules — Kalshi
2. Polymarket documentation — markets, fees and resolution — Polymarket
3. 2026 men's World Cup fixtures, results and standings — ESPN
4. Soccer coverage and match reports — Associated Press
5. Designated Contract Markets (DCMs) — U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission
6. The Commodity Exchange Act & regulations — U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Keep reading

• Group A at the 2026 World Cup: Results & Market Scorecard
• Group B at the 2026 World Cup: Results & Market Scorecard
• Group C at the 2026 World Cup: Results & Market Scorecard

Frequently asked questions

Who won Group K at the 2026 World Cup?

Colombia, Congo DR, Portugal came through Group K into the knockout rounds. The group's deepest run was Colombia — Round of 16 — lost on penalties to Switzerland.

How many teams advanced from Group K?

The top two advanced automatically, and under the 48-team format the eight best third-placed teams across all twelve groups also went through to the Round of 32.

When did Group K play?

Group K played its three matchdays between June 13 and June 26, 2026. The tournament finished on July 19, 2026.

Did prediction markets price Group K correctly?

Group-winner contracts on Kalshi and Polymarket settled at $1.00 or $0.00 in late June. The recurring lesson from 2026 was that reputation-heavy names carried a 3–5 point premium over what results justified.

What football markets can I trade now?

Kalshi and Polymarket have both rolled football contracts over to the 2026-27 club season: Champions League winner, Premier League title and top four, LaLiga, Serie A and Ballon d'Or. Both are federally regulated and legal in most US states.