Portugal open their World Cup 2026 on Wednesday, June 17 against DR Congo in Houston — with Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, leading a squad to his sixth World Cup, chasing the only major trophy missing from the most decorated individual career in the sport. Here is the complete Group K guide.
Group K: the lay of the land
Group K pairs Portugal with Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo. Colombia are the heavyweight obstacle — the June 27 closer in Miami Gardens is a legitimate top-16 fixture and the likely decider for first place. Uzbekistan and DR Congo both arrive as first-time qualifiers of the 48-team era with little to lose.
Portugal play their first two matches in the same building — Houston’s air-conditioned NRG Stadium — before the Miami finale, an unusually stable base for a group-stage campaign.
Portugal fixtures: Group K schedule (ET)
Every Portugal group-stage match, with venues and Eastern Time kickoffs from the official tournament schedule.
| Date (2026) | Opponent | Venue | Kickoff (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, June 17 | DR Congo | NRG Stadium, Houston | 1:00 PM | FOX or FS1 / Telemundo |
| Tue, June 23 | Uzbekistan | NRG Stadium, Houston | 1:00 PM | FOX or FS1 / Telemundo |
| Sat, June 27 | Colombia | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens | 7:30 PM | FOX or FS1 / Telemundo |
Both Houston matches kick off at noon local time under a closed, climate-controlled roof — sidestepping the Texas summer entirely, a factor we quantified in our heat and altitude analysis.
The squad: Martínez’s 26
Roberto Martínez named his squad on May 19 with Cristiano Ronaldo — 226 caps, 143 international goals, both all-time records — as captain at a record sixth World Cup. Around the 41-year-old, the squad is in its prime: Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva orchestrate, and the PSG pair of Vitinha and João Neves runs the midfield.
The wide depth is absurd by any standard: Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, Francisco Conceição and João Félix compete for two flanks, with Nuno Mendes arguably the best left-back in the world behind them. Diogo Costa starts in goal.
World Cup pedigree
Portugal have never won the World Cup — third place in 1966 remains the high-water mark — but the trophy case has filled recently: Euro 2016 and two Nations League titles. The squad’s core has won everything except this. That asymmetry, with the greatest scorer in history running out of tournaments, is the emotional engine of Group K. The history of every champion is in our winners retrospective.
Tactical profile
Martínez plays a possession-heavy 3-4-3 / 4-3-3 hybrid: Bruno and Bernardo drift into half-spaces, wing-backs provide width, and Ronaldo operates as a pure box striker — his pressing burden lifted, his penalty-area volume maximized. Portugal led European qualifying in crosses completed into the area and consistently post elite possession numbers.
The vulnerability is the same one every Martínez team carries: defensive transition. Bielsa-style pressing sides and fast counters are the profile that troubles this structure.
How to watch in the USA
Every Portugal match airs in English on FOX or FS1 with streaming on the FOX Sports app; Spanish-language coverage runs on Telemundo or Universo, with all matches streaming on Peacock.
Our US broadcast guide has the complete window-by-window breakdown; the official squad announcement is on FIFA’s tournament site.
FAQ
When does Portugal play their first World Cup 2026 match?
Portugal open against DR Congo on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing at World Cup 2026?
Yes. Ronaldo, 41, captains Portugal at a record sixth World Cup, carrying all-time international records of 226 caps and 143 goals into the tournament.
Who is in Portugal’s World Cup 2026 group?
Group K contains Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo. Portugal play DR Congo June 17 and Uzbekistan June 23 in Houston, then Colombia June 27 in Miami Gardens.
What channel are Portugal matches on in the USA?
In English on FOX or FS1 (FOX Sports app for streaming); in Spanish on Telemundo or Universo, with every match streaming on Peacock.