Cristiano Ronaldo learns Portugal’s final friendly opponent before 2026 World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo has his sights set on the 2026 World Cup, widely expected to be his final major tournament with the Portugal national team. As part of their preparations for the competition, the Portuguese FA has now confirmed the last friendly fixture before the tournament kicks off in North America.
On Thursday, the Portugal FA announced that a match against Nigeria has been scheduled for June 10, serving as the final tune-up before Portugal’s World Cup opener against DR Congo on June 17.
Nigeria join Chile as Portugal’s warm-up opponents during a training camp to be held in Portugal ahead of the tournament. While the match against Chile is set for June 6 at the Jamor National Stadium in Lisbon, no official venue has been confirmed for the Nigeria fixture, though reports indicate it is expected to take place at the Municipal Stadium of Leiria.
Notably, the side Portugal will face on Matchday 1 of the group stage was responsible for eliminating Nigeria from World Cup contention. DR Congo secured their spot at the tournament with a narrow 1-0 win over Jamaica in the FIFA international playoff during the March international break.
Portugal and a familiar path to the World Cup
Following Portugal’s quarterfinal exit at the hands of Morocco, the 2022 World Cup was widely expected to be Cristiano Ronaldo’s last. Now 41 years old, the forward has defied expectations by remaining the top scorer under coach Roberto Martinez, and the road to this edition bears a striking resemblance to the one that led him to Qatar.
Ahead of the 2022 World Cup, Portugal also faced Nigeria in a November friendly, with the European side cruising to a 4-0 victory at Estadio Jose Alvalade. On that occasion, Ronaldo was left out of the squad due to a bout of gastritis and did not feature in the match.
The 2026 group stage also mirrors the 2022 edition in its composition. Portugal will face DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia, much like they did in Qatar when they were drawn against opponents from the African, Asian and South American confederations in Ghana, South Korea and Uruguay respectively.
Heading into the 2022 World Cup, Portugal were ranked ninth in the FIFA standings with 1,676.56 points. In the latest update ahead of 2026, the Seleção have climbed to fifth with 1,763.83 points, leapfrogging Brazil in the process. As reigning UEFA Nations League champions following their victory over Spain, Ronaldo heads into what may be his final World Cup backed by a more experienced and well-rounded squad than ever before.