The Portugal vs. DR Congo lineups are confirmed for today’s 2026 World Cup match at NRG Stadium in Houston, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. ET.
Portugal opens Group K as one of the tournament’s most talented sides, led by Cristiano Ronaldo in his sixth World Cup, while DR Congo returns to the World Cup stage for the first time since 1974.
At 41 years old, Ronaldo gets the start today as Portugal begins its push for the one major trophy still missing from his career.
Portugal is the favorite with a 1.25x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks. Manager Roberto Martinez’s squad is being given a 85% implied chance of winning its World Cup opener.
Claim $50 Bonus + Ronaldo Max Discount Pick → Use PrizePicks Promo Code PLAYBOOKFC
With Ronaldo starting up top, Bruno Fernandes operating underneath him, and Pedro Neto and Bernardo Silva giving Portugal width and creativity, Martinez is rolling out an attack built to control the match and feed chances into the box.
Below are the official Portugal vs. DR Congo lineups and subs for today's 2026 World Cup match. Find our full Portugal vs. DR Congo predictions here for the 2026 World Cup.
Make your Portugal vs. DR Congo predictions on PrizePicks now!
{{worldcup_generic_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Confirmed Portugal Lineup vs. DR Congo for World Cup 2026
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Goalkeeper: Diogo Costa
Defenders: João Cancelo, Tomas Araújo, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes
Midfielders: Vitinha, Joao Neves, Bruno Fernandes
Forwards: Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pedro Neto
Portugal subs vs. DR Congo: Rui Silva, Jose Sa, Ricardo Velho, Diogo Dalot, Ruben Dias, Goncalo Inacio, Nelson Semedo, Samu Costa, Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes, Rafael Leao, Francisco Conceicao, Trincao, Joao Felix, Goncalo Guedes, Goncalo Ramos, Diogo Jota
Claim the PrizePicks Ronaldo promo for Portgual vs. Congo DR!
Confirmed DR Congo Lineup vs. Portugal for World Cup 2026
Formation: 3-4-1-2
Goalkeeper: Lionel Mpasi-Nzau
Defenders: Steve Kapuadi, Chancel Mbemba, Axel Tuanzebe
Midfielders: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Noah Sadiki, Ngal’ayel Mukau, Arthur Masuaku, Samuel Moutoussamy
Forwards: Yoane Wissa, Cedric Bakambu
DR Congo subs vs. Portugal: Matthieu Epolo, Timothy Fayulu, Joris Kayembe, Gedeon Kalulu, Dylan Batubinsika, Edo Kayembe, Gael Kakuta, Aaron Tshibola, Brian Cipenga, Theo Bongonda, Meschak Elia, Nathanael Mbuku, Fiston Mayele, Simon Banza
Make your 2026 World Cup predictions on PrizePicks for Portugal vs. DR Congo
{{worldcup_sweeps_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Portugal vs. DR Congo Lineups Analysis: Ronaldo, Silva Start for Portugal
The biggest lineup note is Cristiano Ronaldo starting for Portugal in his sixth World Cup, as he’s projected to score 3 goals in this World Cup, but Bernardo Silva starting in the XI up front is just as important.
Portugal has plenty of attacking options, so Martínez keeping Bernardo alongside Bruno Fernandes, Pedro Neto, Vitinha, and João Neves gives Portugal more control, creativity, and final-third chances around Ronaldo.
Ronaldo’s role should be simple: stay central, occupy defenders, and finish chances. He still had strong shot volume in World Cup qualifying, while Bruno led Portugal in chance creation, giving Ronaldo multiple paths to attacking involvement.
Portugal’s fullback choices are also worth watching. Nuno Mendes and Joao Cancelo both bring attacking value, which can push Portugal higher up the pitch and create more service into Ronaldo.
However, DR Congo’s lineup is built to make Portugal work for their chances. Chancel Mbemba, Axel Tuanzebe, and Steve Kapuadi give the Leopards a strong defensive base, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Arthur Masuaku can drop into a back five when Portugal has possession.
The Ronaldo Max Discount promo is the clear headline from this lineup, with his passes attempted projection dropped from 19.5 to 0.5 — as close to a guarantee W as you can possibly get.
With Ronaldo starting and Portugal expected to dominate possession vs. DR Congo, he only needs one pass for the More to hit to start today with a W!
For a full match breakdown — including player picks, trends, key players, and how we’re reading this matchup — check out our full Portugal vs. Senegal prediction article.
Combine Portugal to Win + Ronaldo picks on PrizePicks for bigger payouts!
{{worldcup_generic_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Make Portugal vs. DR Congo World Cup Predictions on PrizePicks
Portugal and DR Congo are set to kick off shortly in one of the most anticipated group stage matches at World Cup 2026, as Ronaldo will take the field for the first time on U.S. soil in over a decade.
Now that Portugal vs. DR Congo lineups are confirmed, it’s time to lock in your World Cup predictions. On PrizePicks, you can pick your players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right.
Make your Portugal vs. DR Congo World Cup predictions on PrizePicks for the World Cup today.
Team Picks and Culture Picks are event contracts offered by Performance Predictions II, LLC d/b/a PrizePicks Predict, a CFTC-registered FCM and NFA Member. All event contract customers must be U.S. residents and 18+. Some event contracts may not be available in every state.Event contract trading carries significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. No guarantee against loss is offered. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results.Void where prohibited by law. Restrictions apply. For full terms of service see prizepicks.com/predict-regulatory. Team and Culture Pick Early Payouts subject to market liquidity. The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, or a recommendation to trade any commodity interest.
