Portugal wraps up World Cup 2026 preparations with match against Nigeria. Portugal plays its final friendly before the World Cup. In Leiria, the team will face Nigeria, who did not qualify for the tournament. Portugal’s next opponent is DR Congo in Houston.
The Portuguese national team takes to the field in Leiria for a final test before departing for the 2026 World Cup. On Wednesday, Roberto Martínez's squad faces Nigeria at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa — this is the last chance for the coaching staff to assess the players’ readiness in real match conditions. The meeting with Nigeria is the first since 2022, when Portugal secured a confident 4-0 win in a friendly.
Portugal approaches the exhibition match after a 2-1 win over Chile, which gave the team extra confidence ahead of the World Cup. On June 17, the Portuguese will begin the group stage in Houston, where their first opponent will be DR Congo. In Group K, they will also face Uzbekistan and Colombia. This will be Portugal’s ninth appearance in the World Cup finals.
Nigeria, on the other hand, is missing out on the world’s main football tournament for the second time in a row. The Super Eagles failed to qualify — a major event for African football. Nevertheless, the match against Portugal remains an important test for the Nigerian team and an opportunity for young players to prove themselves on the international stage.
Such friendlies are crucial for coaches who use every moment to find the best combinations in the lineup. Other teams take a similar approach: for example, Senegal wrapped up preparations for WC-2026 with a match against Saudi Arabia, which, as noted in the russpain.com report, took place without TV coverage and remained out of sight of their rivals.
For Portugal, a successful start to the tournament is especially important: the team is traditionally seen as one of the favorites to advance from the group. It is worth noting that the 2026 World Cup is being held in an expanded format for the first time, with group stage matches distributed across cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This creates additional logistical and climate-related challenges for the participants. The best result in Portugal's World Cup history remains third place in 1966, while in recent years the team has consistently reached the playoffs of major tournaments.
