Rabat – Portugal hosts the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup 2026 qualifier in Lisbon, with the two sides at opposite ends of Group F. Portugal sits atop the group with 6 points from 2 games, while Ireland has just 1 point and has not won. A victory would get Ronaldo’s team close to qualifying for the World Cup.
Match Details
- Fixture: Portugal vs the Republic of Ireland
- Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers (UEFA), Group F
- Venue: Estádio José Alvalade (Lisbon, Portugal)
- Date: Saturday, October 11, 2025
- Kick-off: 19:45 local (GMT+1)
How to Watch: Bein sports 5 mena, RTE2 (Ireland), ViX+/fuboTV (International)
Portugal Team News
Injuries: João Neves and defender João Cancelo ruled out due to hamstring issues
In their absence, Nuno Mendes is expected to start at left-back, while Diogo Dalot and Nélson Semedo compete for the right-back spot.
Cristiano Ronaldo will start up front again. He has scored 3 goals in 2 World Cup qualifiers. He is the all-time top scorer in FIFA World Cup qualifying with 39 goals. Ronaldo is also chasing 1,000 career goals—he has scored 946 so far and needs 54 more to reach the milestone.
Portugal predicted lineup: Diogo Costa; Nélson Semedo, Rúben Dias, Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva; João Félix, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Leão
Ireland Team News
Injuries: Matt Doherty, Jason Knight, Bosun Lawal, Callum O’Dowda, and Sammie Szmodics are out due to injury
At the back, Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, and Jake O’Brien are likely to continue as the central defense trio.
Striker Evan Ferguson will lead the attack, having scored in the draw against Hungary.
Ireland predicted lineup: Gavin Bazunu; Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, John Egan; Matt Doherty, Josh Cullen, Jayson Molumby, Enda Stevens; Jason Knight, Chiedozie Ogbene; Evan Ferguson
What to Expect
Portugal enters as the favorite. They have won all five of their most recent competitive matches, including a 5-0 and 3-2 win in their first two qualifiers.
Roberto Martínez’s side is expected to dominate possession. The talent gap is significant. Portugal’s lineup is packed with world-class players. Another win would potentially clinch World Cup qualification early.
Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson will likely set his team up defensively, hoping to score against Portugal via a set-piece or counterattack..
Safe Calls
- Both Teams to Score: NO – Ireland’s attack has been inconsistent, while Portugal has better defensive quality. A clean sheet for the hosts is likely.
Over 2.5 Goals: YES – Portugal has found the net 8 times in two qualifiers and should create plenty of chances - Ronaldo to score or assist: YES – The Portuguese captain is in red-hot form (3 goals in 2 games)
- Portugal to Win or Draw: YES – Portugal is unbeaten so far.
Prediction: Portugal 3-0 Ireland
