Ireland vs Portugal, FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Preview, H2H stats, when and where to watch?

Portugal tops Group F with 10 points, while Ireland sits third with 4 points and must win to maintain playoff hopes. Fans can watch the match on SonyLIV, via OTTplay Premium.

Portugal will have the chance to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 tonight against Ireland. Image | @selecaoportugal on X

The Republic of Ireland will host Portugal at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Friday, November 14, 2025, in a crucial FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying match in Group F. Portugal sit comfortably at the top of the group with 10 points from four matches and remains unbeaten in recent tournaments, while Ireland are third with 4 points, desperately needing a positive result to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Match details

Match: Ireland vs Portugal, FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

Date: 14 November 2025

Time: 1.15 am IST

Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Where to watch the Ireland vs Portugal, FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers match?

Football fans in India can watch the Ireland vs Portugal, FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers match online on SonyLIV, via OTTplay Premium.

Ireland vs Portugal: H2H stats

Ireland and Portugal have met each other 17 times in international football, including friendlies, so far. Portugal have dominated the Irish team by winning 10 matches while Portugal won 4 times.

Ireland last won against Portugal in 2005, when Andy O’Brien scored the lone goal to help them win. Post that, they have lost all of their fixtures against Portugal, except once when they drew 0-0 in 2021.

Read Also: Qualified teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026: Full list.

What happened the last time Portugal played Ireland?

Portugal faced Ireland in their home fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers on 12 October at Estádio José Alvalade. Ruben Neves scored a 90’+1 minute header to hand Portugal a narrow 1-0 victory, which kept their unbeaten record in this season’s qualifiers.

Portugal’s recent form

W-W-W-W-D (most recent result last)

Ireland’s recent form

D-D-L-L-W (most recent result last)

How can Portugal qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

A win for Portugal against Ireland will take them to the FIFA World Cup 2026. If they fail to win, they must draw and then depend on other results to qualify tonight. Do not worry, they still have one more match to qualify for the World Cup 2026.

Read more about Portugal’s qualification scenario here.

Match preview

Portugal, managed by Roberto Martínez, has delivered a dominant and clinical campaign so far, featuring commanding wins over Armenia (5-0) and Hungary (3-2) before a 2-2 draw with Hungary in their last outing.

Their squad has scored 11 goals while conceding only four, demonstrating elite defensive organization and offensive firepower.

With a win against Ireland, Portugal can secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup with one match to spare. They also carry strong momentum from a 1-0 away victory in Lisbon against Ireland last month, clinched by Rúben Neves' stoppage-time header after Portugal controlled most of the game.

Portugal will miss Bruno Fernandes due to a card suspension, while Nuno Mendes and Joao Cancel are out due to injuries.

Read Also: FIFA World Cup 2026: When and where is the World Cup draw?

The Republic of Ireland, under manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, has struggled in qualifying with only one victory so far, a vital home win over 10-man Armenia.

Their campaign included a disappointing 2-1 loss in Armenia and the recent narrow defeat to Portugal in Lisbon, a match marked by impressive goalkeeping from Ireland's Caoimhín Kelleher, who saved a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ireland sit third in Group F and must avoid defeat on home soil while hoping Hungary falters in their remaining fixtures to keep playoff qualification hopes alive. Jason Molumby and Ryan Manning are out due to card suspension, while Evan Ferguson will miss the game due to an injury.

Possible XI:

Ireland: C. Kelleher, J. O'Brien, N. Collins, D. O'Shea, S. Coleman, W. Smallbone, J. Cullen, J. Taylor, F. Ebosele, F. Azaz, C. Ogbene

Portugal: D. Costa, N. Semedo, R. Dias, R. Veiga, M. Nunes, J. Palhinha, R. Neves, Vitinha, B. Silva, C. Ronaldo, P. Neto

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