LIVE UPDATES: Portugal vs D.R Congo World Cup 2026 – Follow all the action, the goals and the celebrations

The match between Portugal and D.R Congo will kick off at 17:00GMT.

Neither Portugal nor DR Congo are reported to have any injury concerns heading into this Group stage encounter.

For DR Congo, forward Cédric Bakambu will be the main attacking threat after scoring four times during qualifying. Notably, all of his goals came in the first half, highlighting his early impact in matches.

All eyes will once again be on Cristiano Ronaldo, who enters the 2026 tournament with a unique record as the only player to score in five different World Cups. Three of his last four World Cup goals have come against African opposition, adding extra intrigue to this matchup.

Key Players to Watch and Team News

Interestingly, each of the last four goals DR Congo have conceded came after the 50th minute, suggesting potential vulnerability in the later stages of matches.

DR Congo have shown defensive resilience in their wins, with 18 of their last 22 victories coming via clean sheets.

Nine of Portugal’s last 13 matches have featured over 2.5 goals, highlighting their attacking consistency.

Portugal have scored in ten consecutive World Cup matches prior to their 2022 quarter-final exit against Morocco.

Hot Stats and Trends

Portugal’s recent World Cup history against African opposition includes a 1-0 defeat to Morocco in 2022, though they did end preparations for this tournament with a 2-1 friendly win over Nigeria.

This is the first ever meeting between Portugal and DR Congo at senior international level.

Head to Head History

Head coach Sébastien Desabre has faced challenges in preparation, including disruption linked to an Ebola outbreak back home that affected travel for supporters. Despite this, he has called on fans to “see and hear” his team on the global stage.

DR Congo arrive as clear underdogs but with a historic opportunity to make an impact. Their qualification came through a 1-0 playoff win over Jamaica, ending a 52-year absence from the tournament. Their last World Cup appearance in 1974 saw them lose all three group matches without scoring and concede 14 goals in total.

Despite their impressive run, World Cup history has often told a different story for Portugal. Since 1966, they have reached the semi-finals only once, and slow starts have frequently held them back. In their last four World Cup opening matches, they have won just once, drawing two and losing one. Those games have also produced high-scoring encounters, with 15 goals scored across the last three openers, including a 3-2 win over Ghana in 2022.

Portugal arrive at the 2026 World Cup in strong form, losing just once in their last 13 matches with 10 wins and two draws. Their most recent competitive outing produced a stunning 9-1 victory over Armenia in qualifying, underlining their attacking firepower heading into the tournament.

Match News and Current Form

DR Congo, meanwhile, mark their long-awaited return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when they competed as Zaire. Their comeback sets the stage for a fascinating contest against a Portugal side widely viewed as one of the tournament favourites.

Portugal begin another push for long-awaited World Cup glory in Houston as they face Democratic Republic of Congo in a Group stage clash that brings together one of Europe’s most consistent powerhouses and a nation returning to football’s biggest stage after more than five decades.

Follow this Africasoccer Live Blog for the World Cup 2026 match between Portugal and D.R Congo.