Portugal announced its list for the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Portugal officially revealed its squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Portuguese team’s head coach, Spaniard Roberto Martinez, presented a star-studded roster that stands out for its sporting talent and its moving human story. The Portuguese federation unveiled the squad with the poignant slogan “27+1” players.
This particular designation is a posthumous tribute to Diogo Jota, the talented forward for the national team and Liverpool of England, who tragically died on July 3, 2025, in a traffic accident in Zamora, Spain, along with his brother André Silva.
Os 𝟮𝟳+𝟭 que levam o 𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗵𝗼 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹 para as "Américas" 💭🏆#VaiDarPortugal | @FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/NXZY6EiuOY
— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) May 19, 2026
In the dressing room of the English club, the Portuguese striker and the Colombian Luis Díaz forged a bond of brotherhood, sharing the pitch since the arrival of the Guajiro at Anfield in January 2022. In October 2023, the Portuguese forward thrilled fans by scoring against Nottingham Forest and celebrating by holding up Díaz’s number 7 shirt — a powerful gesture of solidarity while his teammate’s father was being held captive in Colombia.
Following the tragedy of his death, the Colombian footballer himself remembered him as a brother in England. “I have no words… It hurts me to the core. Not only for what he was on the field, but for the person he was off it. There are gestures one never forgets, and Diogo made one for me that will stay with me for life,” the Colombian striker stated.
In announcing the list, Roberto Martinez moved the world by declaring that Diogo’s physical absence would become an emotional driving force for the internal election: “We all assume the responsibility of fighting for Diogo’s dream.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s historic sixth World Cup
The star of this squad is once again its captain, Cristiano Ronaldo. The legendary striker for Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia will play in the 2026 World Cup at 41 years old. By taking to the pitch in North America, “CR7” will etch his name in history as one of the very few footballers to have played in six different editions of the World Cup (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026).
The UEFA Nations League in 2019 and the European Championship in 2016 crown his international achievements, but this World Cup is definitely shaping up to be the “last dance” for the Portuguese star in search of the only trophy he has yet to win.
Portugal’s official squad for the 2026 World Cup
The final list of active players consists of 27 names (23 outfield players and four goalkeepers). Because FIFA rules require a maximum of 26 players registered for the final tournament, the coaching staff will have to cut one of the goalkeepers before the competition begins.
The following is a detailed list of the squad called up, broken down by position and with their respective clubs of origin:
Goalkeepers
- Diogo Costa (Porto, POR)
- Rui Silva (Sporting CP, POR)
- José Sá (Wolverhampton, ING)
- Ricardo Velho (Gençlerbirligi, TUR)
Defenses
- Diogo Dalot (Manchester United, ENG)
- Matheus Nunes (Manchester City, ENG)
- Nélson Semedo (Fenerbahçe, TUR)
- João Cancelo (FC Barcelona, ESP)
- Nuno Mendes (PSG, FRA)
- Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting CP, POR)
- Rúben Dias (Manchester City, ENG)
- Tomás Araújo (Benfica, POR)
- Renato Veiga (Villarreal, ESP)
Midfielders
- Ruben Neves (Al Hilal, KSA)
- Samú Costa (Mallorca, ESP)
- João Neves (PSG, FRA)
- Vitinha (PSG, FRA)
- Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, ENG)
- Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, ENG)
Forwards
- João Félix (Al Nassr, KSA)
- Francisco Trincão (Sporting CP, POR)
- Francisco Conceição (Juventus, ITA)
- Pedro Neto (Chelsea, ENG)
- Rafael Leão (AC Milan, ITA)
- Gonçalo Guedes (Real Sociedad, ESP)
- Gonçalo Ramos (PSG, FRA)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr, KSA)
Path in the tournament
The draw placed Portugal in Group K of the tournament alongside Colombia, Uzbekistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cristiano Ronaldo’s squad will make its debut on June 17, 2026, against the Congolese team at Houston Stadium.
However, the star match and one of the most attractive duels of the first round of the World Cup will be the clash between Portugal and Colombia, scheduled for June 27, 2026, at Miami Stadium.
With a squad that combines the unparalleled experience of its veterans with the freshness of young promises like Vitinha and João Neves, the Portuguese start as clear candidates not only to get through the group stage, but to fight for the championship in honour of their eternal teammate number “+1”.