Portugal named for Cup opener against DR Congo, see

Portugal named for Cup opener against DR Congo, see

Portugal begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign this Wednesday (17) at 2 pm, facing DR Congo at the Houston stadium in the United States.

The Group K clash pits one of the tournament’s strongest teams against a nation returning to the world stage after a 52-year absence.

Lineups

🇵🇹 Portugal

Head coach: Roberto Martínez

Considered one of the favorites, Portugal arrive at the World Cup with a squad that balances the longevity of Cristiano Ronaldo — making his sixth appearance at the age of 41 — with the technical rise of names like Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, and João Neves.

The only confirmed absentee for the opener is center-back Rúben Dias.

🇨🇩 DR Congo

Head coach: Sébastien Desabre

After half a century of waiting — their last appearance came in 1974, still as Zaire — DR Congo are backing a pragmatic style of play, marked by defensive solidity and mental resilience, qualities that helped the team eliminate traditional sides like Cameroon and Nigeria on the way to the playoffs.

The standout name is 21-year-old talent Mukau.

Match Details

📍 Venue: Houston, USA

⏰ Kick-off: 2 pm (Brasília time)

📺 Where to watch: CazéTV (live updates on ge)

🟨 Referee: Abdulrahman Al Jassim (Qatar), assisted by Taleb Al Marri and Saoud Almaqaleh.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.