Portugal take on the visitors Ireland in a World Cup 2026 qualification match. The match will be played on Saturday, October 11th at Estádio José Alvalade (Lisbon)
Portugal parted ways with Fernando Santos after the last World Cup, even though he had brought them trophies and led them deep into the knockout rounds in Qatar. In hindsight, that decision proved right — the veteran coach later failed in both Poland and Azerbaijan. Under Roberto Martínez, Ronaldo and company lifted another trophy last summer, winning the Nations League by beating Spain on penalties in the final. However, their Euro 2024 campaign was more mixed: they secured early qualification to the playoffs after two group-stage wins but then failed to score in the knockout rounds — beating Slovenia only after a 0-0 draw and penalties before falling to France in the same fashion. Still, the current cycle has started smoothly, with a 5-0 demolition of Armenia followed by a 3-2 win in Hungary. Portugal look confident and efficient, with Bruno Fernandes orchestrating play and Ronaldo still delivering when needed. The attacking depth and recent momentum make Martínez’s men clear favorites to extend their winning run.
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Ireland’s stock remains low in European football. “The Boys in Green” haven’t reached a major tournament in years. Despite having players active in the English Premier League, they continue to fall short when it matters most. Even in the last Nations League campaign, they managed to pick up points only against Finland — though they did beat them twice and finished third in the group. In March, they also recorded a pair of 2-1 wins over Bulgaria. Recent form, however, has been underwhelming: they drew summer friendlies against Senegal and Luxembourg, and in September’s qualifiers shared points again, 2-2 at home with Hungary, before surprisingly losing 1-2 in Armenia. Offensively, Ireland have shown glimpses of potential through young forwards like Evan Ferguson, but their defense remains fragile and inconsistent. Against elite opponents like Portugal, any lapse in concentration is almost certain to be punished.
The two teams have faced each other nine times. Ireland have two wins, Portugal four, with just one draw between them. In their most recent meeting last summer, a friendly, Ronaldo and company earned a convincing 3-0 victory. “The Seleção” are clearly the stronger side. On home soil, they should win comfortably — the bet is Portugal to cover the “-2.0 goals” handicap.
Prediction for the match: Portugal to win with -2.0 handicap.
