Portugal vs. DR Congo: FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview

• Who: Portugal vs DR Congo
• What: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group ‘K’ Match
• Where: Houston Stadium, Texas, USA
• When: Wednesday, 10:45 PM

Also Read

Portugal vs Congo DR FIFA World Cup 2026

Texas. As Portugal begins its 2026 campaign with a Group ‘K’ clash against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in Houston, they will be looking to forget 60 years of World Cup pain. While England fans may recall the glorious days of 1966, the Three Lions’ fortunes have been far better than Portugal’s since then. Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is looking to add to his legacy by scoring in his sixth World Cup, dreaming of lifting this one major trophy that has so far eluded him in his final tournament. Their group stage journey begins with a clash against DR Congo. DR Congo is qualifying for the World Cup for only the second time and is waiting for its first World Cup goal and points. The question on everyone’s mind is, will Ronaldo complete his career by giving Portugal its first World Cup trophy? Portugal has not performed well in the World Cup for 60 years. In 1966, in their first World Cup in England, they finished third with the inspirational performance of Eusebio. Since then, they have only reached the semi-finals in 2006. In the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, after navigating a tough group and beating Switzerland 6-1 in the Round of 16, they were disappointed to lose to Morocco in the quarter-finals. In this golden era, they have trophies to show for it. The UEFA European Championship (Euro 2016) and the Nations League, won last year by beating Spain in a penalty shootout, are examples. However, the World Cup has always remained beyond their reach. Portugal, considered contenders this time, should have high morale. Vitinha, João Neves, and Nuno Mendes have just helped the French super club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) win their second consecutive Champions League title. On the other hand, Bruno Fernandes has had an excellent season for Manchester United, registering a record 21 assists in the Premier League. And then there is Cristiano. Despite scoring 30 goals in 37 games in all competitions for Saudi club Al-Nassr, he had a disappointing season. Ronaldo is the only player remaining from the Euro 2016 winning squad. As they enter the 2026 World Cup, he is the only male player to have scored in five editions of this tournament (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022). However, none of his eight World Cup goals have come in knockout matches. He was not included in the starting XI against Switzerland in Qatar. It was the first time in 14 years that he was not a starter in a major tournament. His only goal in the last World Cup came from a penalty. He was goalless in Euro 2024, where Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing to France on penalties. Ronaldo finished as Portugal’s top scorer in the qualifiers. His five goals were joint-highest in UEFA Group ‘F’. At 41, he is the only player to have scored in five World Cups. The Al-Nassr forward is set to become the second oldest outfield player (excluding goalkeepers) to play in the World Cup after Roger Milla (42). He is also in contention with Lionel Messi to become the player to play in six World Cups. If Portugal finishes top of Group ‘K’, they will play their Round of 32 match against the third-placed team. Coincidentally, the match will fall on July 3, the anniversary of the death of forward Diogo Jota. The former Liverpool forward died in a road accident shortly after helping Portugal win the UEFA Nations League. The players have decided to wear armbands in his memory during the match. DR Congo aims to make new history by returning to the World Cup DR Congo has finally qualified for its first World Cup in 52 years. The nation, previously competing as Zaire, secured its World Cup journey by defeating Jamaica 1-0 in the Intercontinental Playoff in Mexico in March. Their preparation has been hampered by the spread of Ebola. Facing a strong opponent like Portugal at the start of the campaign will be challenging for them. However, the match against Uzbekistan on June 27 could give Sebastien Desabre’s team a chance to finish third in the group and advance to the knockout stage. Although their players may not be very famous, DR Congo has extensive experience in the English Premier League. Their defense includes West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Burnley’s Axel Tuanzebe. Tuanzebe himself scored in extra time to qualify the team. Also in the squad is Sunderland left-back Arthur Masuaku. Their 20-year-old Sunderland teammate Noah Sadiki has proven to be excellent in midfield. Yoane Wissa of Newcastle United and 35-year-old Cédric Bakambu of Real Betis will lead the attack against Portugal. As the first sub-Saharan African nation to reach the World Cup, then-African champions Zaire lost all three matches in 1974. This included a humiliating 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia. In another group stage match against Brazil, full-back Mwepu Ilunga ran from the ‘wall’ and kicked away Brazil’s free-kick, a scene considered unforgettable in World Cup history. It was later revealed that his action, for which he received a yellow card, was an attempt to waste time as a political protest. This was because the players had been threatened with exile if they lost by more than three goals. They were trailing 2-0 at the time. The match ended 3-0, and they were allowed to return home. However, the country’s football remained stagnant for a long time until recent improvements under Desabre. Nevertheless, perhaps the most recognizable face in modern Congolese football is a ‘super fan’. Michel Nkuka Mboladinga has been watching Congolese national team matches for the past 13 years, wearing colorful suits. During this time, he stands still and raises one hand, imitating the statue of the revered Congolese political leader Patrice Lumumba. His presence in the crowd at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in January drew global attention. At the request of the players, he has reportedly been included in the nation’s official delegation for this World Cup. How does the group stage work? Portugal, DR Congo, Colombia, and Uzbekistan are in Group ‘K’. In the preliminary stage of the competition, they will play each other once. The top two teams from all 12 groups and the eight best third-placed teams will advance to the next stage, the Round of 32. The Round of 32 is being included in the World Cup for the first time. Portugal vs DR Congo: Head-to-Head Portugal has been a regular participant in this competition, while DR Congo has not appeared on this stage for 52 years. These two nations have never faced each other in any competitive or friendly match before. Portugal will be the fourth European (UEFA) nation to play DR Congo. In the 1974 World Cup, DR Congo lost to both Scotland and Yugoslavia (a 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia). In a friendly match last month before the tournament, they drew 0-0 with Denmark. Portugal’s only two losses against African nations in the World Cup have been against Morocco, losing in the 1986 group stage and the 2022 quarter-finals. However, they are undefeated against teams from sub-Saharan Africa, with three wins and one draw against teams from this region. Form (Results of the last five matches, most recent game first): Portugal: Win-Win-Win-Draw-Win DR Congo: Loss-Draw-Win-Loss-Win After playing a goalless friendly against Mexico in March, Portugal enters this competition with three consecutive wins against the USA, Chile, and Nigeria. DR Congo lost 2-1 to the same Chile team in their second and final practice match on June 9. However, six days prior, they used a new formation with five defenders in a goalless draw with Denmark. Before that, they won their qualifying match against Jamaica in March and lost to Algeria in the Round of 16 of AFCON in January. Team News For the first match, Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has no injury concerns in the squad. However, the issue of their 41-year-old star forward remains the focus of everyone’s attention. Ronaldo has not scored from ‘open play’ in his last two major international tournaments. His impact on the field appears to be diminishing. He missed good opportunities to add to his 143 international goals in the practice match win against Nigeria. The popular striker is certain to win his 229th cap, but whether he will be in the starting eleven or come off the bench remains to be seen.

• Portugal's probable XI: D Costa (Goalkeeper); Cancelo, Dias, Inácio, Mendes; J Neves, Fernandes, Vitinha; Bernardo, Ronaldo, Neto.
• DR Congo's probable XI: Mpasi (Goalkeeper); Wan-Bissaka, Capuadi, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Masuaku; Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Mukau; Wissa, Bakambu.