Portugal World Cup Squad 2026: Full 26-Player Roster
The Portugal World Cup Squad 2026 is into the Round of 16, and Cristiano Ronaldo is still writing history at 41. Roberto Martínez’s 26 man Seleção finished Group K runners up, beat Croatia 2-1 in the Round of 32, and now meet neighbours Spain for a place in the quarter finals.
Ronaldo captains a side stacked with Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, and Rafael Leão, all chasing the one trophy that has always escaped him.
Portugal arrived as FIFA’s fifth ranked side and reigning Nations League champions, playing their ninth World Cup after winning UEFA Group F.
Martínez also kept a symbolic “plus one” place for Diogo Jota, the forward who died in July 2025, with the squad wearing tribute wristbands throughout the tournament.
Portugal World Cup Squad 2026: Full 26-Player Roster
| Position | Player | Club | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Diogo Costa | Porto | 26 |
| GK | José Sá | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 33 |
| GK | Rui Silva | Sporting CP | 32 |
| DF | Rúben Dias | Manchester City | 29 |
| DF | João Cancelo | Barcelona | 32 |
| DF | Nélson Semedo | Fenerbahçe | 32 |
| DF | Nuno Mendes | Paris Saint-Germain | 23 |
| DF | Diogo Dalot | Manchester United | 27 |
| DF | Gonçalo Inácio | Sporting CP | 24 |
| DF | Renato Veiga | Villarreal | 22 |
| DF | Tomás Araújo | Benfica | 24 |
| MF | Bernardo Silva | Manchester City | 31 |
| MF | Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United | 31 |
| MF | Rúben Neves | Al-Hilal | 29 |
| MF | Vitinha | Paris Saint-Germain | 26 |
| MF | João Neves | Paris Saint-Germain | 21 |
| MF | Matheus Nunes | Manchester City | 27 |
| MF | Samu Costa | Mallorca | 25 |
| FW | Cristiano Ronaldo (C) | Al-Nassr | 41 |
| FW | Francisco Trincão | Sporting CP | 26 |
| FW | João Félix | Al-Nassr | 26 |
| FW | Rafael Leão | AC Milan | 27 |
| FW | Gonçalo Guedes | Real Sociedad | 29 |
| FW | Gonçalo Ramos | Paris Saint-Germain | 24 |
| FW | Pedro Neto | Chelsea | 26 |
| FW | Francisco Conceição | Juventus | 23 |
(C) = captain. Final 26 confirmed on May 19, 2026; reserve goalkeeper Ricardo Velho travelled as a standby. Notable omissions include João Palhinha, António Silva, and Mateus Fernandes.
For all 48 team final squads, see our World Cup 2026 squads tracker.
Portugal World Cup Squad 2026 by the Numbers
- Average age: 27.5 years
- Most capped player: Cristiano Ronaldo (232 caps)
- Top scorer in the squad: Cristiano Ronaldo (146 international goals)
- Premier League players: 7 (Rúben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes, Pedro Neto, José Sá)
- Paris Saint-Germain players: 4 (Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, João Neves, Gonçalo Ramos)
- Youngest player: João Neves (21)
- Oldest player: Cristiano Ronaldo (41)
Key Players to Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo (C), Al-Nassr: The captain keeps rewriting the record books in 2026. He is the first player to score at six different World Cups, and his 68th minute penalty against Croatia made him the oldest player ever to score in a World Cup knockout tie at 41. With 146 international goals, the most in men’s football history, he chases the one prize he has never lifted.
Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United: Portugal’s engine, set piece taker, and penalty taker, he links midfield to the forwards and carries the creative load in Martínez’s system.
Vitinha, Paris Saint-Germain: The deep lying playmaker who controls tempo, he was outstanding in PSG’s treble winning season and sets the rhythm against compact, deep defending opponents.
Nuno Mendes, Paris Saint-Germain: One of the best left backs in the world, he gives Portugal pace, overlapping width, and authoritative one on one defending down the left.
Rafael Leão, AC Milan: Portugal’s most explosive wide threat, he set up the winner against Croatia and can change a knockout tie with one moment of pace or power.
Gonçalo Inácio, Sporting CP: A composed left footed centre back who reads the game well and starts attacks from deep, partnering Rúben Dias at the back.
Portugal World Cup 2026 Results and Schedule
Portugal came through Group K as runners up, then edged Croatia 2-1 in a dramatic Round of 32 tie in Toronto. Next comes an all Iberian Round of 16 clash with Spain. Kick off times are listed in Eastern Time (ET).
| Date | Match | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 17, 2026 | Portugal vs DR Congo | 1-1 | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 23, 2026 | Portugal vs Uzbekistan | 5-0 | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 27, 2026 | Colombia vs Portugal | 0-0 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami |
| July 2, 2026 | Portugal vs Croatia (Round of 32) | 2-1 (W) | BMO Field, Toronto |
| July 6, 2026 | Portugal vs Spain (Round of 16) | 3:00 PM ET | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
Ronaldo’s penalty and Gonçalo Ramos’ stoppage time header sank Croatia, sending Portugal into the last 16. Now they face Spain, the side they beat on penalties in the 2025 Nations League final. Win in Arlington and the Seleção reach the quarter finals against the winner of Belgium versus the United States.
You can follow every kick off on the full World Cup 2026 schedule and track the knockout bracket here.
How Portugal Qualified for World Cup 2026
Portugal won UEFA Group F ahead of Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, and Armenia. They opened with a 5-0 win away to Armenia and a 3-2 victory in Budapest, then beat Ireland 1-0 in Lisbon, with Ronaldo leading the scoring.
A 2-2 home draw with Hungary and a 2-0 loss in Dublin, where Ronaldo was sent off and later served a one match ban, left top spot open. Portugal settled it emphatically, hammering Armenia 9-1 at the Estádio do Dragão on November 16, 2025, to finish on 13 points from six games and seal direct qualification.
Head Coach: Roberto Martínez
Roberto Martínez, 53, took charge of Portugal in January 2023 after six years with Belgium, whom he led to third place at the 2018 World Cup. He also won the FA Cup with Wigan in 2013.
Portugal plays a possession-based 4-3-3, with Vitinha dictating tempo, Bruno Fernandes pushing forward, and Nuno Mendes providing width.
The approach already delivered the 2025 UEFA Nations League, won on penalties against Spain, giving a talented squad a winning habit that it has carried into the knockout rounds.
Group K Final Standings
Portugal came second in Group K behind Colombia, with DR Congo sneaking through as one of the best third placed teams and Uzbekistan going out. Here are the final standings.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colombia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | Winners |
| 2 | Portugal | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | Runners up |
| 3 | DR Congo | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | Qualified (best third) |
| 4 | Uzbekistan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | Eliminated |
Colombia, ranked 13th and quarter finalists in 2014, edged the group after their goalless draw with Portugal. DR Congo marked their first World Cup since 1974 by reaching the knockouts, while debutants Uzbekistan lost all three. Portugal’s reward for second place was a demanding tie against Croatia, which they won 2-1 to set up the meeting with Spain.
FAQ About Portugal World Cup Squad 2026
How did Portugal do in the World Cup 2026 group stage?
Portugal finished second in Group K with five points from one win and two draws. They drew 1-1 with DR Congo, thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0, and drew 0-0 with Colombia, advancing to the Round of 32 as runners up.
Who do Portugal play in the Round of 16?
Portugal face Spain in the Round of 16 on Monday, July 6, 2026 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, kicking off at 3:00 PM ET. They reached the last 16 by beating Croatia 2-1 in the Round of 32.
How did Portugal beat Croatia in the Round of 32?
Portugal won 2-1 in Toronto on July 2, 2026. Ivan Perisic put Croatia ahead, Cristiano Ronaldo levelled from the penalty spot in the 68th minute, and Gonçalo Ramos headed the winner in the 94th minute from a Rafael Leão cross.
Has Portugal ever won the World Cup?
No, Portugal have never won the World Cup. Their best finish was third place at the 1966 tournament in England, inspired by Eusébio, and they reached the semi-finals in 2006. A first world title remains the goal for Roberto Martínez’s side.
How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored?
Ronaldo has 146 international goals for Portugal, the most in men’s football history, and 11 World Cup goals. His penalty against Croatia was his first in a World Cup knockout match and made him the oldest player ever to score in the knockout rounds at 41.
Who did Portugal leave out of the 2026 World Cup squad?
Notable omissions include midfielder João Palhinha, defender António Silva, and West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes. Martínez also kept a symbolic plus one place for Diogo Jota, the forward who died in July 2025, with the squad wearing tribute wristbands.
Portugal’s World Cup 2026 Hopes
The Portugal World Cup Squad 2026 blends elite experience with players at their peak. Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva bring the know how, while Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, and João Neves carry the energy of a PSG core that just won the treble. Through to the Round of 16, the reigning Nations League champions are genuine contenders, not just a name from the past.
If the midfield controls the Spain tie and the forwards click, a deep run is realistic. And there would be no bigger story than Ronaldo, with Jota’s “+1” alongside him, finally delivering the trophy that has eluded the Seleção.
