As the final FIFA international break of the year wraps up, all eyes are on Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, who are on the brink of securing their ticket to the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The Seleção face Ireland this Thursday in Dublin, and a win would guarantee their qualification — no scoreboard watching required.
This decisive moment was delayed after Portugal’s dramatic 2-2 draw against Hungary in October, when a last-minute equalizer forced Ronaldo and his squad to wait until November to seal the deal
Match Details
Portugal currently leads Group F with 10 points and remain unbeaten. A victory against Ireland would lock in their spot for the 2026 tournament and mark Cristiano Ronaldo’s sixth appearance at the World Cup — a feat which no player has ever achieved. He is currently one of six players who have starred in five World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022).
What do Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal need to qualify for the World Cup?
Let’s take a look at three possible outcomes:
Portugal beats Ireland: Automatic qualification. No need to rely on other results.
The match ends in a draw: Portugal must wait and see how Hungary fares against Armenia. If Hungary wins, everything hinges on the final matchday.
Portugal lose to Ireland: Still possible to qualify early — but only if Hungary also loses to Armenia. In that case, Portugal would be mathematically safe with one game to spare.
Coach Roberto Martínez’s squad is in control of its destiny. With a five-point cushion and a strong track record — 15 wins in their last 16 qualifiers — Portugal is heavily favored to punch their ticket this week.
As for Cristiano, the Al Nassr forward recently hinted that retirement may be near, making this World Cup potentially his last dance on the global stage. If Portugal gets the job done Thursday, fans can start dreaming of one more summer with CR7 lighting up the world’s biggest tournament.