Portugal vs DR Congo, 2026 FIFA World Cup – Preview, Prediction, Head to Head, Predicted Lineups, Team Squads and More

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal get their 2026 World Cup campaign underway against DR Congo in Houston on Wednesday. With Colombia and Uzbekistan also drawn in Group K, Portugal will be targeting an opening victory as they seek to finish at the top of the section.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal finally take to the pitch at the 2026 World Cup, beginning their tournament at Houston Stadium in Texas against a DR Congo side whose return to football’s biggest competition comes after a 52-year absence.

Portugal embark on what they hope will become their first-ever World Cup-winning journey and while considerable attention remains fixed on the 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, it may ultimately be the quality around him that determines their path toward the title.

Houston Stadium in Houston, Texas, is set to stage a captivating contest between Portugal and DR Congo in the opening Group K fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Both countries will battle alongside Uzbekistan and Colombia for progression into the knockout rounds of the tournament. Under the guidance of Roberto Martínez, Portugal captured last year’s UEFA Nations League title after overcoming Germany in the semi-finals and Spain in the final. Possessing one of the most gifted squads in international football, they could realistically claim their maiden FIFA World Cup crown this year.

DR Congo, meanwhile, are participating in the World Cup for the first time since 1974. Their route to qualification was lengthy and demanding, requiring success through both continental and inter-confederation playoffs. Their most recent outing ended in a 2-1 defeat to Chile. Nevertheless, DR Congo possess enough talent to trouble any opponent, and Portugal are no exception.

Roberto Martínez has an extraordinary amount of talent available throughout his star-filled squad, particularly in midfield, and Portugal understand they are legitimate contenders for this year’s trophy. Although an opening victory is not essential, it would certainly send a strong message to the rest of the competition.

DR Congo, who last featured at the World Cup as Zaire in 1974, are not widely expected to trouble Portugal significantly, but Spain’s goalless draw against Cabo Verde earlier this week highlighted the ability of African nations to produce surprises. Sébastien Desabre will be hoping his team can draw inspiration from Cabo Verde’s disciplined performance.

Roberto Martinez’s squad will have to navigate the spotlight surrounding Ronaldo throughout the competition as the 41-year-old seeks to secure the World Cup for the first time in what is likely his sixth and final attempt. Ronaldo has already won the Euros (2016) and the Nations League (2019, 2025) with Portugal, but World Cup glory remains the missing piece.

DR Congo, on the other hand, make their first World Cup appearance since their memorable 1974 campaign when they competed under the name Zaire. Sebastien Desabre’s men have already achieved something significant by ending a 52-year wait for qualification, but the talent within the squad gives them reason to aim even higher.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of Wednesday’s match.

Portugal vs DR Congo, 2026 FIFA World Cup – Match Preview

This fixture presents a fascinating contrast in styles. Portugal possess one of the most technically accomplished midfields in the tournament, featuring players such as Vitinha, João Neves and Bruno Fernandes.

Their tactical approach is built around controlling possession, a method that served them effectively during qualification where they averaged 71% possession. Portugal will aim to dictate the rhythm of the match while searching for ways to unlock a stubborn defensive setup.

However, they must avoid becoming overly predictable. During Euro 2024, excessive dependence on crossing often worked against them. Facing DR Congo’s compact 5-4-1 structure, patience and creativity will be crucial in breaking down the defence.

DR Congo are comfortable allowing opponents to dominate possession before launching counter-attacks. At the most recent Africa Cup of Nations, they averaged only 43.4% possession but ranked highly for direct attacking speed and fast-break opportunities.

Their strategy will focus on soaking up pressure and exploiting spaces left behind by Portugal’s advanced attacking players.

This marks the first-ever meeting between these two nations, adding an additional layer of uncertainty.

Portugal have historically performed well against African opposition at the World Cup, recording four wins, one draw and two defeats. However, their most recent encounter ended in a quarter-final loss to Morocco in 2022, a result they will be eager not to repeat.

For DR Congo, this match offers an opportunity to demonstrate they belong on football’s grandest stage after such a lengthy absence.

Portugal enter this fixture as one of the tournament’s most technically gifted teams. Since Roberto Martinez took charge, they have transitioned from a conservative defensive setup to a more proactive attacking approach built around advanced full-backs, creative midfielders and a dynamic frontline. Cristiano Ronaldo leads the attack in his sixth World Cup appearance, while Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva provide creativity from midfield.

DR Congo’s path to the tournament is a remarkable story. This represents only their second World Cup appearance and their first since 1974 as Zaire. Under Sebastien Desabre, they have developed into a compact and disciplined defensive unit, winning seven of nine CAF qualifying matches while conceding just five goals. Their qualification journey included victories over Cameroon and a penalty shootout success against Nigeria before overcoming Jamaica to reach the tournament.

The match is expected to follow a familiar pattern: Portugal controlling possession and probing for openings against a disciplined DR Congo block, while the Congolese look to break quickly through Yoane Wissa and Meschak Elia. Whether DR Congo can maintain their organisation long enough to avoid conceding early may determine if this becomes a routine Portugal victory or a more competitive contest.

Portugal Preview

Roberto Martinez has an exceptionally talented squad at his disposal and, having previously managed Belgium’s celebrated generation during the late 2010s, there is notable pressure on the former Wigan Athletic and Everton manager to deliver success.

Portugal recorded impressive home-and-away victories against Armenia during qualification, but both their performances and results against Hungary and Ireland were less convincing despite the level of opposition.

The Portuguese arrive at the tournament following two hard-earned 2-1 victories, first against Chile and then against Nigeria earlier this month.

Congo DR Preview

After pushing Senegal extremely close and perhaps feeling unfortunate to finish just behind them in CAF qualification for FIFA World Cup 2026, DR Congo battled through three difficult playoff rounds to secure their place in North America.

DR Congo defeated Cameroon thanks to a dramatic late winner before overcoming Nigeria in a penalty shootout during the CAF playoff final. That success earned them a place in the Inter-Confederation Playoff against Jamaica, which they won 1-0 through an Axel Tuanzebe goal.

DR Congo followed a goalless draw against Denmark in their opening pre-tournament friendly with a 2-1 defeat to Chile, producing a couple of underwhelming performances against nations that failed to qualify for the World Cup.

Portugal vs DR Congo, 2026 FIFA World Cup – Team News

Manchester City centre-back Ruben Dias missed much of the latter part of the season due to a hamstring injury but returned for Portugal’s friendly victories over Chile and Nigeria this month and has trained without restriction.

Ronaldo missed Portugal’s first two matches of the year because of a hamstring issue but captained the side in both warm-up fixtures, playing 45 minutes against La Roja before featuring for 65 minutes against the Super Eagles.

Benfica defender Tomas Araujo could make only his second competitive international appearance after previously featuring against Croatia in the Nations League in November 2024.

Samu Costa is the only other Portugal outfield player with fewer than ten international caps. The Mallorca midfielder’s two competitive appearances came as brief substitute outings against Poland during the same Nations League campaign.

Rocky Bushiri withdrew from the DR Congo squad after suffering an Achilles injury while representing Hibernian on the final day of the Scottish season.

Former England youth international and Kilmarnock midfielder Aaron Tshibola has been called up as his replacement.

Yoane Wissa could make his first major tournament appearance since September 2024 after battling a knee injury. Following his £55 million move from Brentford to Newcastle, he scored one Premier League goal last season.

Wissa was unable to recover in time to participate in January’s Africa Cup of Nations, where DR Congo’s extra-time defeat to Algeria in the round of 16 marked Gael Kakuta’s most recent competitive appearance for the national team.

The vastly experienced former Chelsea and France Under-21 winger returned as a second-half substitute during the 2-1 friendly defeat to Chile on June 9.

Portugal enter the tournament without any significant injury concerns. Roberto Martinez has an abundance of attacking options available, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Leao, Pedro Neto and Gonçalo Ramos. Their depth across the squad is among the strongest in the competition, with four Paris Saint-Germain players and three Manchester City players making the trip to the United States.

Rúben Dias anchors the defence, while João Cancelo and Nuno Mendes occupy the advanced full-back roles that are integral to Martinez’s tactical setup. Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva headline a midfield group that also includes João Neves and Vitinha. The main discussions revolve around selection choices rather than fitness concerns.

For DR Congo, Chancel Mbemba offers leadership and aerial strength in central defence, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka provides Premier League quality at right-back. Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa remains their most recognisable attacking weapon. No major absences have been confirmed ahead of the match, though the squad remains heavily dependent on its strongest starting eleven.

Portugal Team News

Following some speculation, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez confirmed that Nuno Mendes is fully fit and available after being substituted after 30 minutes against Nigeria, explaining that the decision was planned in advance to limit his workload.

Cristiano Ronaldo is also available despite recent concerns regarding the Al Nassr forward. Portugal’s midfield is expected to feature the PSG pairing of Vitinha and Joao Neves alongside Bruno Fernandes. One of the key selection decisions concerns the left-wing position, with Rafael Leao and Joao Felix competing for a starting role.

Portugal have no major injury issues heading into this Group K opener.

Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to wear the captain’s armband in his sixth FIFA World Cup appearance, while Roberto Martínez can also call upon elite attacking talents such as Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, Gonçalo Ramos and Francisco Conceição.

Martinez was particularly pleased to see his squad emerge from pre-World Cup friendlies against Chile and Nigeria without any fresh injuries, with both matches ending in 2-1 victories.

Congo DR Team News

At the time of writing, DR Congo appear to have a fully fit squad available for their opening match after Rocky Bushiri’s withdrawal through injury, with Aaron Tshibola replacing him.

Yoane Wissa missed the playoff matches in March, when Cedric Bakambu led the attack alone, but the Newcastle United striker is expected to return to the starting lineup, potentially resulting in vice-captain Bakambu dropping out.

DR Congo also appear to have a largely healthy group available for this contest.

Premier League defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka and experienced central defender Chancel Mbemba will have vital responsibilities in attempting to contain Portugal’s dangerous attack.

Desabre has largely settled on his preferred lineup, and all of his key players came through the pre-World Cup friendlies against Denmark (0-0) and Chile (1-2) without issue.

Portugal vs DR Congo, 2026 FIFA World Cup – Head to Head (h2h)

There is no previous head-to-head record between these nations. Portugal and DR Congo have never faced one another in a senior international fixture, making Wednesday’s encounter their first-ever meeting.

With Portugal regularly competing on the world stage and DR Congo absent from the tournament for 52 years, the two sides have never previously crossed paths in either competitive or friendly matches.

Portugal will become only the fourth UEFA nation to play DR Congo, who suffered defeats to Scotland and Yugoslavia at the 1974 World Cup, including a 9-0 loss to the latter, before drawing 0-0 with Denmark in a pre-tournament friendly last month.

Portugal’s only World Cup defeats against African opposition came against Morocco, during the 1986 group stage and the 2022 quarter-finals. However, they remain unbeaten against teams from sub-Saharan Africa, recording three wins and one draw.

Portugal vs DR Congo, 2026 FIFA World Cup – Match Details

Date, kick-off time:
U.S. ET: Wednesday June 17, 1 p.m.
UK BST: Wednesday June 17, 6 p.m.
India IST: Wednesday June 17, 10.30 p.m.
Australia AEST: Thursday June 18, 3 a.m.

Venue: Houston Stadium, Texas, USA
Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)

Portugal vs DR Congo, 2026 FIFA World Cup – How to watch

The match will be available on BBC One in the UK, Fox Sports in the U.S., Zee5 in India and SBS in Australia.

How to Watch Portugal vs. DR Congo on TV, Live Stream

United States: FOX Network, fuboTV, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo
Canada: TSN+, TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, CTV, RDS App, CTV App, Crave
Mexico: Canal 5 Televisa, Azteca 7, TUDN En Vivo, Azteca Deportes En Vivo, ViX Mexico
United Kingdom: BBC Sport Web, BBC One, BBC iPlayer

Telecast details:

India: Unite8 Sports Channels, ZEE5
UK: BBC & ITV
USA: FOX Sports
Nigeria: DStv, GOtv

Portugal vs DR Congo, 2026 FIFA World Cup – Team Squads

Portugal Team Squad

Diogo Costa, José Sá, Rui Silva, Nélson Semedo, Rúben Dias, Tomás Araújo, Diogo Dalot, Renato Veiga, Gonçalo Inácio, João Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Matheus Nunes, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, João Neves, Rúben Neves, Vitinha, Samú Costa, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonçalo Ramos, João Félix, Trincão, Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, Gonçalo Guedes, Francisco Conceição.

Portugal Squad for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Silva, Ricardo Velho

Defenders: Tomás Araújo, João Cancelo, Diogo Dalot, Rúben Dias, Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Mendes, Matheus Nunes, Nelson Semedo, Renato Veiga

Midfielders: Samuel Costa, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Neves, Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva, Vitinha

Forwards: Francisco Conceição, João Félix, Gonçalo Guedes, Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, Gonçalo Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Francisco Trincão

DR Congo Team Squad

Lionel Mpasi, Timothy Fayulu, Matthieu Epolo, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Steve Kapuadi, Axel Tuanzebe, Dylan Batubinsika, Joris Kayembe, Chancel Mbemba, Gédéon Kalulu, Arthur Masuaku, Ngal’ayel Mukau, Samuel Moutoussamy, Théo Bongonda, Gaël Kakuta, Noah Sadiki, Aaron Tshibola, Charles Pickel, Edo Kayembe, Nathanaël Mbuku, Brian Cipenga, Meschack Elia, Cédric Bakambu, Fiston Mayele, Yoane Wissa, Simon Banza.

DR Congo Squad for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Goalkeepers: Lionel Mpasi, Thimothy Fayulu, Matthieu Epolo

Defenders: Chancel Mbemba, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Alex Tuanzebe, Arthur Masuaku, Joris Kayembe, Steve Kapuadi, Aaron Tshibola, Dylan Batubinsika, Gédéon Kalulu

Midfielders: Noah Sadiki, Samuel Moutoussamy, Edo Kayembe, Ngal’ayel Mukau, Charles Pickel, Nathanael Mbuku, Brian Cipenga, Meschack Elia, Gael Kakuta

Forwards: Theo Bongonda, Fiston Mayele, Cedric Bakambu, Simon Banza, Yoane Wissa

Portugal vs DR Congo, 2026 FIFA World Cup – Predicted Lineups

Portugal Predicted XI (4-3-3): Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Araujo, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Fernandes; Silva, Ronaldo, Leao

Congo DR Predicted XI (4-3-3): Mpasi; Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, J. Kayembe; Sadiki, Moutoussamy, Mukau; Bongonda, Wissa, Elia

Portugal vs DR Congo, 2026 FIFA World Cup – Prediction

This should represent a relatively comfortable victory for Portugal, although several leading nations have not enjoyed flawless starts to the tournament.

Both Brazil and Spain have already dropped points against supposedly weaker opponents, and Martinez’s side will be eager to avoid a similar outcome.

Nevertheless, the sheer quality throughout Portugal’s starting lineup and squad should allow them to overcome their African opponents.

The clash between Portugal and DR Congo promises to be an intriguing affair. Portugal possess one of the strongest squads in world football despite the considerable talent available to DR Congo.

Portugal opened their 2022 campaign with a 3-2 victory over Ghana, and their latest encounter with African opposition could also produce plenty of goals. The Selecao’s formidable attack will face a dangerous DR Congo frontline featuring Wissa, Theo Bondonda, Meschack Elia and Cedric Bakambu. The Leopards are unlikely to be intimidated after eliminating Cameroon and Nigeria during qualification.

While the matchup may appear one-sided on paper, the reality could be more competitive. Portugal should still emerge victorious and may even keep a clean sheet. However, they demonstrated during the autumn that even average European opponents could cause problems, and DR Congo will believe they can match the level shown by Hungary and Ireland.

A Portugal win remains the most likely outcome, though a narrow margin would not be surprising. With expectations that DR Congo will start only one of Wissa or Bakambu, Desabre’s side are likely to focus on containment, and Portugal have only defeated Armenia and the USA by more than one goal since lifting the UEFA Nations League title last summer.