Portugal faces a brand new adversary in its first match of the 2026 World Cup, taking on inter-confederation playoff qualifiers DR Congo in Group K.
The nations have never previously clashed in a competitive or friendly fixture, and it would be little surprise to see Portugal triumph in its maiden battle. FIFA’s fifth-highest ranked country is among the contenders for the title and boasts a frankly ridiculous level of talent across a deep roster.
DR Congo is appearing at only its second World Cup, previously featuring in 1974 as Zaire, and will hope to achieve greater success than 52 years ago. Zaire lost all three of its group stage games while failing to score and conceding 14 times, with Sébastien Desabre’s current squad certain to better that record.
Here’s how to tune into Portugal’s opener and DR Congo’s World Cup comeback.
What Time Does Portugal vs. DR Congo Kick Off?
- Location : Houston, Texas
- Stadium : NRG Stadium
- Date : Wednesday, June 17
- Kick-off Time : 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. BST
- Referee : Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (QAT)
How to Watch Portugal vs DR Congo on TV, Live Stream
English-language broadcasts are available via the FOX Network and fuboTV in the United States on Wednesday, while Telemundo offers the clash in Spanish.
A myriad of options await for Canadian audiences, who can tune in via TSN, RDS, CTV and Crave.
Those in Mexico have a similar level of choice via Azteca Deportes, TUDN, ViX and Canal 5.
The BBC is the only option for viewers in the United Kingdom.
| Country | Broadcaster(s) |
|---|---|
| United States | FOX Network, fuboTV, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo |
| Canada | TSN+, TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, CTV, RDS App, CTV App, Crave |
| Mexico | Canal 5 Televisa, Azteca 7, TUDN En Vivo, Azteca Deportes En Vivo, ViX Mexico |
| United Kingdom | BBC Sport Web, BBC One, BBC iPlayer |
What’s Next for Portugal, DR Congo?
Portugal will expect a winning start before matches with Uzbekistan and, most notably, Colombia over the next 10 days. Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. should have no issue qualifying for the knockout stage, but they will be desperate to finish first and secure a simpler draw for the last 32.
The Leopards have genuine aspirations of reaching the next round given eight third-placed teams make the cut. One victory could be enough, and DR Congo will be eyeing that triumph in its finale with Uzbekistan.
