Portugal vs. Wales - prediction, team news, lineups

Defending champions Portugal volition beryllium aiming to marque a winning commencement to their 2026-27 UEFA Nations League run erstwhile they big Wales connected Thursday night.

Portugal are the holders of the trophy and so the astir palmy broadside successful the past of the Nations League, having won the contention doubly (2019 and 2025).

Match preview

Portugal person entered a caller epoch nether the enactment of Jorge Jesus, who took complaint of the nationalist broadside connected July 10, with Roberto Martinez departing pursuing the 2026 World Cup.

Selecao das Quinas were knocked retired successful the last-16 signifier of the 2026 World Cup by eventual winners Spain, and the 1-0 nonaccomplishment to La Roja proved to beryllium the nationalist side's archetypal decision since November 2025.

Portugal won the first-ever Nations League tourney successful 2018-19, beating Netherlands 1-0 successful the final, earlier signaling a penalty-shootout triumph implicit Spain successful the 2024-25 final.

Selecao das Quinas are competing successful Group 4 of League A, meaning that they volition instrumentality connected Wales, Denmark and Norway, location and away, successful a bid to scope the quarter-finals.

Jesus' broadside volition tackle Norway (A) successful their last crippled of the month, earlier opening October with fixtures against Denmark (A) and Norway (H).

Wales, meanwhile, failed to suffice for the 2026 World Cup, losing to Bosnia-Herzegovina successful the semi-finals of the playoffs astatine the extremity of March.

Craig Bellamy's broadside person played 3 times since then, drafting with Northern Ireland and Ghana successful friendlies earlier suffering a 2-1 decision to Romania past clip out.

The Dragons are backmost successful League A of the Nations League, having secured promotion from League B successful 2024-25, and their wide grounds successful the contention is 10 wins, 5 draws and 7 defeats from 22 games.

Bellamy's broadside volition instrumentality connected Denmark (A) connected September 27, earlier facing Norway (H) connected October 1 and Denmark (H) connected October 4.

Wales person faced Portugal connected 4 erstwhile occasions, signaling 1 win, which came successful a affable backmost successful May 1951; the lone erstwhile competitory gathering betwixt the 2 sides came successful the semi-finals of Euro 2016, with Portugal signaling a 2-0 triumph courtesy of goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani.

Portugal signifier (all competitions):

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Wales signifier (all competitions):

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Team News

New Portugal caput manager Jesus named Cristiano Ronaldo successful his archetypal squad, and the 41-year-old is acceptable to diagnostic from the archetypal whistle here, bidding to adhd to his 146 goals for the nationalist side.

Ronaldo's planetary vocation looked successful terrible uncertainty pursuing Portugal's decision to Spain successful the last-16 signifier of the 2026 World Cup, but helium remains involved.

There are not expected to beryllium immoderate existent surprises successful the Portugal XI, with Diogo Costa successful enactment to diagnostic betwixt the sticks, portion Vitinha, Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes are acceptable to run successful midfield.

Wales person been deed with a triple stroke up of this match, with Harry Wilson, Nathan Broadhead and Karl Darlow pulling retired of the squad owed to wounded problems.

Leicester City's David Cornell, Huddersfield Town's Joe Taylor and Reading's Charlie Savage person been called up arsenic their replacements up of the Portugal clash.

Wales are besides without the likes of Joe Rodon, Dylan Lawlor, Rubin Colwill and Isaak Davies.

Daniel James, David Brooks and Brennan Johnson are each acceptable for starts successful the last 3rd of the field, with the erstwhile perchance operating done the middle.

Portugal imaginable starting lineup:

Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes; Vitinha, J Neves; Neto, Fernandes, Felix; Ronaldo

Wales imaginable starting lineup:

Ward; N Williams, Cabango, Norrington-Davies, Dasilva; Ampadu, J James; Brooks, Thomas, Johnson; D James

We say: Portugal 3-1 Wales

Wales are missing a fig of important players for this match, and we are uncovering it incredibly hard to backmost against Portugal, who person truthful overmuch prime passim their side.