What is Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal’s route to the World Cup final? Discover who their potential opponents are, now we know they’ve finished runners-up in their group.
Though they are yet to win the tournament, Portugal have many elite players who put them into contention to become the 2026 World Cup winners. The question is – if they’re going to win the competition, what will their route to the final be?
Below, we’ll cover Portugal’s World Cup route and when they’re expected to play each round.
And as the tournament progresses, why not follow all the Portugal games as they happen with the latest World Cup betting odds.
Portugal’s odds of progressing through each round
Before we dive into Portugal’s route to the World Cup final, let’s take a look at what odds they’re given of reaching each round (at the minimum).
Round | Odds of reaching the round |
Round of 16 | 4/11 |
Quarter final | 17/10 |
Semi final | 11/4 |
Final | 7/1 |
Or, if you’re still unsure how the team will get on, why not explore our range of Cristiano Ronaldo World Cup odds instead?
Portugal’s route to the final now we know they’ve not won their group
Here is the most likely of Portugal’s routes to the World Cup final:
Round | Potential opponent |
Round of 32 | Croatia |
Round of 16 | Spain |
Quarter final | Belgium |
Semi final | France |
Final | Argentina |
Round of 32
July 3rd vs Croatia
So, Portugal have failed to top their group and finished as runners-up. In this scenario, they’ll face the 2018 finalists Croatia. The last matchup between these two teams was in the 2024 Nations League, seeing the two draw 1-1.
Round of 16
July 6th vs Spain
Spain then appear to be Portugal’s next challenge in the round of 16. With them predicted to top Group H, they’ll play Group J runners-up and are favourites to progress against what will likely be Austria.
Quarter final
July 10th vs Belgium
Looking into the potential latter stages of the World Cup, the Red Devils are said to be the most likely quarter-final opponents for Portugal here (see Belgium’s possible route to the World Cup final).
Considering Belgium look like they’ll play the USA in the round of 16, they are predicted to better the hosts; however, with home advantage, who knows what the USA could achieve at the 2026 tournament.
Semi final
July 14th vs France
The 2018 champions and 2022 runners-up are expected to be Portugal’s semi-final challenge. Certainly one of the toughest prospects to face at the World Cup, France’s recent record in the tournament speaks for itself. Interested in the French’s potential road to glory? Discover France’s possible routes to the World Cup final.
World Cup final
July 19th vs Argentina
So, Portugal have bounced back from the disappointment of finishing second in their group, who could their final challenge be?
The 2022 World Cup champions Argentina are the most likely to be Portugal’s opposition in the final. This means that we could have a game for the ages, with a Messi vs Ronaldo showdown for the World Cup – what a finale this would be!
Who did Portugal play in the group phase?
The group phase of the 2026 World Cup put Portugal up against Uzbekistan, Colombia, and DR Congo. On paper, a relatively straightforward group; but the Portuguese could only manage second place.
