Ireland vs Portugal preview, prediction, team news, and head-to-head

A win for Portugal would officially hand them their ticket to the 2026 World Cup in North America. But for Ireland, which sits third in the group, this game is all or nothing. They need a result to keep their playoff dreams alive heading into the final round.

Portugal heads into this clash in excellent form, maintaining their form of several recent wins and an almost perfect home record in the qualifiers. Their ability to dominate matches from start to finish makes them clear favourites going into this contest.

However, the Portuguese were only able to secure a point in their last group F match against Hungary. The ageless Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace as the game ended in a 2-2 draw.

Ireland, though an underdog, will not go down without a fight. They have shown real resilience, especially at home, where the fans give them an extra boost.

Heimir Hallgrímsson's men took all three points the last time they played in this stadium in a 1-0 victory over Armenia. However, they will need to sit deep, stay compact, and look for opportunities on the counter or from set pieces to get at least a point from this encounter.

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​Portugal has had the upper hand overall in this fixture, winning 10 of their 17 (D3, 4L). But do not count Ireland out just yet when it comes to competitive qualifiers on home soil.

The Irish team has never lost a home World Cup or Euro qualifier against Portugal, holding one win and two draws.

​Ireland will be missing some important players for this big game. Their top striker, Evan Ferguson,  is out with an ankle injury, which is a big loss for their attack. Midfielders Jason Knight (groin) and Bosun Lawal (hamstring) are also unavailable, along with defenders Will Keane (calf) and Darragh Lenihan (ankle). 

​There is some good news as experienced defender Séamus Coleman is back in the squad, and Troy Parrott, who has been scoring a lot for his club, is also available to boost their frontline.

Portugal also has a few concerns. Full-back João Cancelo is out with a hamstring injury, and Nuno Mendes is doubtful due to a knee sprain. But with so much talent in their squad, coach Roberto Martínez still has plenty of top players to choose from.

As always, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to start up front, chasing more records as Portugal looks to book their ticket to the World Cup.

​Ireland: Kelleher; O'Brien, Collins, O'Shea; Coleman, Smallbone, Molumby, Manning; Ogbene, Johnston; Parrott

Portugal: Costa; Dalot, Dias, Veiga, Tavares; Neves, Vitinha; Trincao, Fernandes, Leao; Ronaldo

Portugal are widely tipped to win with their current form and squad depth, especially with World Cup qualification within reach.

Ireland might put up a good fight at home, as they often do, but missing a key striker like Evan Ferguson is a big blow.

Prediction: Ireland 0-2 Portugal

• Portugal to win

• Over 1.5

• Cristiano Ronaldo to score