Portugal 2026 World Cup preview: Odds, key players and predictions

Portugal 2026 World Cup odds

Portugal head into this summer’s tournament as sixth-favourites, priced at 10/1 with Ladbrokes to win the World Cup for the first time in their history. They are viewed as less likely winners than France, Spain, England, Brazil and Argentina, but are priced with shorter odds than Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.

In qualifying for this summer’s World Cup, Portugal finished top of UEFA Group F with 13 points from six games, three more than the Republic of Ireland. Their 4-1-1 record was not flawless, but they scored 20 goals and ended the campaign with a +13 goal difference.

Priced at 10/1, Portugal could represent decent value for bettors who fancy one of the most balanced squads in the tournament to go deep. Ladbrokes also has Portugal as 2/5 favourites to win Group K, ahead of Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan.

Road to the 2026 World Cup

• Qualification record: 4 wins - 1 draw - 1 loss

• Goals for / against: 20 / 7

UEFA’s qualification process saw the 12 group winners qualify directly for the World Cup, with the remaining European spots decided by the play-offs. Portugal avoided that route by finishing top of Group F, sealing qualification after thrashing Armenia 9-1.

Portugal’s qualifying campaign started strongly, with wins over Armenia, Hungary and the Republic of Ireland, but a 2-2 draw at home to Hungary and a 2-0 defeat in Dublin meant there were some nervy moments before the final game. However, any doubt disappeared when Portugal put nine past Armenia, with Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves both scoring hat-tricks.

With 20 goals scored in six qualifiers, Portugal showed just how dangerous they can be in attacking areas. But seven goals conceded also suggests that Martinez’s side are not completely watertight, and that may be something to keep an eye on once they come up against stronger opposition in the knockout stages.

Best World Cup finish

Portugal have never won the World Cup, with their best finish coming all the way back in 1966, when they finished third and Eusebio ended the tournament as top scorer with nine goals.

They reached the semi-finals again in 2006, Ronaldo’s first World Cup, but were beaten by France before losing the third-place play-off to Germany. Since then, Portugal have struggled to turn their talented squads into a genuine World Cup run, exiting in the round of 16 in 2010 and 2018, the group stage in 2014, and the quarter-finals in 2022.

As such, despite winning Euro 2016 and the Nations League twice, Portugal still head into this summer’s tournament searching for their first ever World Cup triumph.

Confirmed squad & key players

Portugal have already confirmed their squad for the 2026 World Cup, with Martinez naming a 27-player group. Fourth-choice goalkeeper Ricardo Velho is set to travel with the squad, but he can only be added to the official 26-man list if one of Portugal’s three registered goalkeepers suffers an injury.

It goes without saying but Ronaldo, one of the greatest players to ever play the game, will be one of the key men for Portugal at the World Cup, which kicks off in June. At 41, this is almost certainly his final chance to win the World Cup, and he remains the headline act for his country.

However, a big advantage that Portugal have is that they are no longer completely reliant on Ronaldo. Fernandes remains one of the best creative midfielders in world football, Vitinha and Joao Neves give Portugal a superb midfield base, Bernardo Silva brings control and experience, while Rafael Leao, Pedro Neto, Francisco Conceicao and Goncalo Ramos all give Martinez different attacking options.

At the back, Diogo Costa is expected to start in goal, with Ruben Dias, Goncalo Inacio, Nuno Mendes, Joao Cancelo and Diogo Dalot giving Portugal plenty of quality and flexibility in defence. Martinez has also spoken about the importance of versatility in his squad, with Dalot, Cancelo and Matheus Nunes all able to cover different roles.

Portugal’s predicted lineup

Our predicted lineup for Portugal’s opening game against DR Congo sees them set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

• GK - Diogo Costa

• RB - Joao Cancelo

• CB - Ruben Dias

• CB - Goncalo Inacio

• LB - Nuno Mendes

• CM - Joao Neves

• CM - Vitinha

• RW - Bernardo Silva

• CAM - Bruno Fernandes

• LW - Rafael Leao

• ST - Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal’s Group K opponents

Portugal find themselves in Group K this summer with Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan. They will see anything other than winning their group as a disappointment.

Colombia are likely to be Portugal’s toughest opponents in the group, with the South American side returning to the World Cup after missing out in 2022. DR Congo will also be hoping to make an impact after securing their first World Cup spot since 1974, while Uzbekistan are appearing at the tournament for the first time.

Portugal open their campaign against DR Congo in Houston on June 17, before facing Uzbekistan, also in Houston, on June 23. Their final group game comes against Colombia in Miami on June 27.

The bookies have Portugal as clear favourites to win Group K at 2/5, with Colombia priced at 5/2, DR Congo at 9/1 and Uzbekistan at 40/1. For those interested, Ladbrokes has a more in-depth preview for Group K, featuring tips and insights.

Our Portugal World Cup prediction

As one of the six favourites to win the World Cup this year, anything less than reaching the latter stages of the knockouts will feel like a major failure for Portugal.

On paper, they have one of the most complete squads in the tournament. Their midfield is arguably as good as anyone’s, they have world-class full-backs, serious depth in wide areas, and Ronaldo still gives them a focal point in attack.

However, the question is whether Martinez can get the balance right when it matters most. Portugal should have enough to win Group K and, if the draw opens up nicely, they have the quality to go further than they did in Qatar.

That being said, the likes of France, Spain and England may still have a slightly higher ceiling, and Portugal’s reliance on Ronaldo in the biggest moments could become a talking point if they come up against elite opposition late in the tournament.

As such, we’re tipping Portugal to reach the quarter-finals before falling short, with Ronaldo’s final World Cup ending in heartbreak rather than glory.

Prediction: Quarter-final exit

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All odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.

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