OFFICIAL: Portugal Finalizes 'Green Army' Squad for World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo will have his last chance to win the 2026 World Cup when the competition begins on June 11th in North America, and Portugal has announced the initial friendly as part of their strategy for this significant objective.

After topping Group F in the UEFA World Cup qualifiers and securing a spot in the planet's biggest football festival, Portugal has proactively scheduled additional friendlies to finalize their preparations. While the March fixture window is fully booked with matches against the USA and Mexico, the national team only has two available periods in May and June before the World Cup starts.

According to an announcement from the Portuguese Football Federation, the Seleção will face Chile on June 6th, just days before the tournament begins. The Federation stated this is part of a training camp, aimed at maximizing preparation for their campaign in North America.

This will be the first meeting between Portugal and Chile since their clash in the FIFA Confederations Cup. On that occasion, the reigning Copa América and EURO champions drew 0-0 in the semifinal, before Chile won 3-0 on penalties.

Although Chile did not qualify for the World Cup after finishing last in the South American (CONMEBOL) qualifying group, this match is still considered a useful test for Portugal. In their head-to-head history, Portugal has 2 wins and 2 draws against La Roja, and Ronaldo and his teammates will certainly aim to maintain that unbeaten record.

Currently, the venue for the friendly against Chile has not been announced. However, it is likely the match will be held in Europe, allowing the team adequate preparation time before traveling to North America.

The Federation also announced that coach Roberto Martínez and his squad will play another friendly on June 10th in Leiria, indicating that both pre-World Cup "dress rehearsal" matches will likely be held at home.