Portugal v DR Congo: 2026 World Cup Prediction

Just under 52 years ago, Congo last appeared at the World Cup. This year, the Africans are back, and they’ll be gearing up straight away for a match against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. Will the Portuguese star also score at the 2026 World Cup? Or has the Al-Nassr player really passed his prime? We’ll tell you more about this match and give you our Portugal v DR Congo prediction.

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Portugal v DR Congo preview

Just as in every European Championship or World Cup, Portugal are once again among the outsiders. And yet the Southern Europeans never seem to manage to go very far in a major tournament. Perhaps this year will be different, given that they won the Nations League not long ago. Furthermore, qualifying for the 2026 World Cup was absolutely no problem. Finally, it is worth noting that they won all their recent friendlies, having beaten the United States, Chile and Nigeria.

Current Form & Team News

Portugal

The Portuguese are in good form. They won the Nations League and recorded convincing victories against the United States, Chile and Nigeria during their pre-tournament preparations. The team are dangerous in attack and solid at the back.

DR Congo

The Congolese are physically strong and disciplined, but struggle to score against stronger opponents. With players such as Yoane Wissa, Cédric Bakambu and Chancel Mbemba, they have individual quality, but there is a significant gap in quality between them and Portugal.

Head-to-Head

Portugal and the D.R. Congo have never played each other before. This will be a historic first meeting.

Expected Line-ups

Portugal (4-3-3):

Diogo Costa, Nuno Mendes, Gonçalo Inácio, Ruben Dias, João Cancelo, João Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leão, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pedro Neto

DR Congo (4-3-3):

Mpasi, Masuaku, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Wan-Bissaka, Sadiki, Moutoussamy, Makau, Wissa, Bakambu, Elia

Portugal v DR Congo Betting Tips

Betting tip 1: Portugal to win and keep a clean sheet

We can’t imagine anything other than a victory for Portugal. DR Congo certainly have a decent striker in Yoane Wissa, but the Newcastle United forward hasn’t exactly had a brilliant season either. Add to that the fact that the Congolese struggle to score in general, and there’s a good chance Portugal will keep a clean sheet. After all, Congo have only scored twice in their last three matches – and those were against teams of a lower standard than Portugal. A win for Portugal without conceding a goal will earn you odds of 1.65.

Betting tip 2: Over 2.5 shots on target by C. Ronaldo

Of course, Cristiano Ronaldo will be in the spotlight for this match too. He’s still keen to prove himself at every opportunity and show that he’s the GOAT. Partly because of this, he’s always shooting at goal from the craziest of angles. Often harmless, but with CR7 you never know. We reckon Portugal will have the upper hand and create plenty of chances against DR Congo. We’re therefore backing the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star to have more than 2.5 shots on target. This gives you odds of 2.70.

Portugal v DR Congo prediction

Final score: Portugal 3–0 DR Congo
Portugal are far stronger in every respect. We expect a clear victory for the Portuguese.