Portugal arrive at the 2026 World Cup as genuine contenders and with a story that grips the whole tournament: Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, heading to a record sixth and almost certainly final World Cup. Under Roberto Martinez, the 26-man squad is one of the deepest in the field, fronted by captain Ronaldo and built around Bruno Fernandes, the PSG pair Vitinha and Joao Neves, and a stacked attack featuring Rafael Leao and Pedro Neto. They land in Group K with Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo. This is the squad by position, the group, the fixtures, and the case for the golden generation to finally win it all.
Portugal's 2026 squad runs deep in every position, blending a generational icon with players at the peak of the European game. These are the names the campaign will turn on.
The record-breaker. At 41, Ronaldo captains Portugal at a sixth World Cup, a record for any player, and almost certainly his last. Still a goalscorer and the emotional heartbeat of the side, his farewell tournament is one of the stories of 2026.
The creative engine. The Manchester United captain drives Portugal from midfield with goals, assists and set-piece quality. As much as Ronaldo carries the headlines, Fernandes is the player who makes the team tick.
The midfield conductor. The PSG man, a Champions League winner, controls tempo and progresses the ball as well as anyone in the tournament. Alongside Joao Neves, he gives Portugal an elite central core.
The defensive leader. The Manchester City centre-back is one of the best defenders in the world, organising the back line and bringing the calm authority Portugal need in the knockout rounds.
The match-winner. The AC Milan forward offers pace, power and the ability to settle a tight game on his own. He headlines a forward line so deep that Martinez can rotate without losing quality.
The versatile maestro. The Manchester City man can play across midfield and attack, linking play and pressing relentlessly. His football intelligence makes Portugal more than the sum of their stars.
Here is Portugal's confirmed squad for the 2026 World Cup as named by Roberto Martinez: four goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and seven forwards. Cristiano Ronaldo is captain. Clubs are shown for each name.
The depth is remarkable: Portugal could leave out players who would walk into most other squads. Martinez named four goalkeepers and a forward line seven deep, and still found no room for Benfica's Antonio Silva. He also reserved an honorary place in the group in memory of Diogo Jota, the Portugal forward who died in 2025. Club listings can shift across the summer transfer window.
Picking a squad this deep meant hard choices. These were the calls and storylines that drew the most attention.
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo heads to a sixth World Cup, a record no player has reached before. Martinez kept faith with his captain for what is expected to be a farewell tournament on the biggest stage.
The biggest surprise omission. The Benfica centre-back had appeared in many projected squads but missed the final cut, a sign of how strong Portugal's defensive options have become.
Martinez dedicated an honorary place in the group to Diogo Jota, the Portugal forward who died in 2025. It was a gesture of remembrance for a player who had been part of the national team setup.
Portugal were drawn into Group K with Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo. Colombia, built around James Rodriguez and a dangerous attack, look the clear rivals for top spot. DR Congo bring physical, athletic threat, and Uzbekistan are first-time World Cup participants. Portugal play two of their three group games at NRG Stadium in Houston before finishing in Miami.
Portugal open against DR Congo at NRG Stadium in Houston on 17 June. For the full picture of all 104 games, see the WorldCuply.com match schedule, and read about the seeds in our guide to the 12 Pot 1 nations, where Portugal sit as one of the favourites.
Portugal have won the European Championship (2016) and two UEFA Nations League titles, but never a World Cup. With this squad, 2026 may be the best chance yet:
Portugal are among the genuine contenders to lift the trophy, and the markets rate them in the next tier behind the very top favourites. The talent is undeniable; the test, as ever for Portugal, is turning that talent into a deep, sustained run. The golden generation may not get a better opportunity than this.
Portugal are one of the favourites and one of 48 nations heading to the 2026 World Cup. Explore the rest of the WorldCuply.com guide:
The Euro 2024 champions and fellow favourites, Lamine Yamal and Group H, with the full squad.
Read the Spain guide ›Tuchel's official 26 for 2026 and the eight big-name omissions, from one of the contenders.
Read the England guide ›The top 12 players going to the 2026 World Cup, including Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.
View the top 12 ›All 104 fixtures across 16 host cities, with kickoff times you can filter to your team.
Open the schedule ›This guide was hand-written from the following reporting and reference pages, used to confirm Portugal's squad, coach, group and fixtures:
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