Portugal vs. Chile: World Cup Prep Showdown

Portugal commences its 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations this Saturday, June 6, with a friendly match against Chile in Lisbon. While many nations are already in North America, Portugal will travel less than a week before their opening tournament game against the DR Congo. The team is also scheduled to face Nigeria in Lisbon on Wednesday.

Under manager Roberto Martínez, Portugal aims to become first-time World Cup champions. They have a strong recent record, having won the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League by defeating Spain on penalties. This success follows their 2016 European Championship win.

Chile, conversely, has experienced a significant decline since their Copa América triumphs in 2015 and 2016. They failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, finishing last in the CONMEBOL standings. Once ranked fourth in the world, Chile now sits at 54th.

Portugal, currently fifth in the FIFA rankings, is expected to field a near full-strength squad despite missing some key players whose club seasons just concluded. Notable inclusions are Cristiano Ronaldo, preparing for his sixth World Cup, and players like Vitinha and João Neves. The predicted lineup includes D. Costa, Dalot, Dias, Inácio, Cancelo, R. Neves, S. Costa, Silva, Fernandes, Leão, and Ronaldo.

Chile's squad features players like goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux and striker Eduardo Vargas, though Gonzalo Tapia is expected to lead the line. Their predicted lineup is Vigouroux, Lichnovsky, Maripan, Sierralta, Suazo, Pizarro, Loyola, Gutierrez, Osorio, Sepulveda, and Tapia. The match is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, at Estádio Nacional in Lisbon, with a kick-off time of 1:45 p.m. ET.