Portugal begins their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against DR Congo, previously known as Zaire, on Wednesday as DR Congo returns to the World Cup after a 52-year absence.
Portugal vs DR Congo – Match preview and team news
- Date: Wednesday, 17th June.
- Kick-off: 6pm BST.
- Venue: Houston Stadium, Texas.
Portugal team news
Portugal faces a major setback for their tournament opener as Manchester City centre-back Rúben Dias is ruled out.
He failed to recover from a hard knock sustained during a recent warm-up match. In his absence, Sporting CP’s Gonçalo Inácio is expected to fill the void in central defence alongside António Silva.
On a brighter note, 41-year-old captain Cristiano Ronaldo is fully fit. He will start up front to kick off his historic sixth tournament appearance.
Manager Roberto Martínez has a wealth of attacking options available, as winger Rafael Leão remains eligible to play despite picking up a red card in a previous friendly.
The midfield looks incredibly strong with Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, and João Neves ready to control the tempo.
Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva and Pedro Neto are locked in a tight battle to secure the remaining starting spot on the wing.
DR Congo team news
DR Congo deals with a significant roster change after defender Rocky Bushiri withdrew from the squad due to a painful Achilles injury.
Manager Sébastien Desabre quickly called up midfielder Aaron Tshibola as his replacement to keep the squad at full strength.
Despite this blow, the Leopards boast plenty of elite English Premier League experience across their backline.
Star defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka and reliable centre-back Axel Tuanzebe are both healthy and ready to anchor the defence against heavy pressure.
In midfield, Noah Sadiki and Samuel Moutoussamy will act as the defensive shields to break up opposition plays.
The attacking strategy will heavily rely on the dangerous pace of Yoane Wissa, along with Cédric Bakambu, who is designated to lead the frontline.
Form
Portugal
Portugal enters the 2026 World Cup in brilliant form after a dominant preparation. They secured consecutive warm-up victories, defeating Chile 2-1 and then matching that scoreline with a 2-1 win over Nigeria.
Roberto Martínez’s squad has shown incredible attacking consistency, losing none of their last five international friendlies. They also achieved a comfortable 2-0 win against the United States and a scoreless draw against Mexico earlier this spring.
DR Congo
DR Congo comes into this historic tournament following a mixed bag of warm-up results in June. They fought hard to earn a respectable 0-0 draw against Denmark but suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Chile in their final match. However, their competitive form is legendary. The Leopards showed immense grit earlier this year, eliminating Nigeria on penalties and beating Jamaica 1-0 in extra time to qualify for the World Cup.
Predicted lineups
Portugal: D Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Inácio, Mendes; J Neves, Fernandes, Vitinha; Bernardo, Ronaldo, Neto
Congo DR: Mpasi; Wan-Bissaka, Kapuadi, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Masuaku; Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Mukau; Wissa, Bakambu
How to watch Portugal vs DR Congo?
You can watch the Portugal vs. DR Congo match live and completely free-to-air on BBC One in the UK.
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