Who will referee Portugal vs DR Congo FIFA World Cup 2026 match?
Portugal and DR Congo will face each other for the first time at the FIFA World Cup.
Portugal are set to face DR Congo in their opening FIFA World Cup clash on Wednesday, June 17 at the Houston Stadium in Texas. Both teams are drawn in Group K alongside Colombia and Uzbekistan.
Portugal, seen as one of the hot favourites for the FIFA World Cup title, has achieved limited success at the competition. However, under Roberto Martinez, they would be looking to break the jinx and finally lift the coveted trophy during Cristiano Ronaldo’s last realistic campaign.
Seleção das Quinas qualified for the summer competition on a dominant note as they secured direct qualification and finished first in their UEFA qualifying group.
They also recorded a resounding 9–1 victory over Armenia in Porto, which made the side’s intent of winning the 2026 edition of the tournament clear. In the pre-World Cup friendlies, they defeated Chile and Nigeria by identical 2-1 scores.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo have returned to the global stage after 52 long years. The last time they played in the tournament was in 1972, when they also became the first sub-Saharan nation to qualify. Their 1952 campaign was full of heartbreaks as they suffered throbbing defeats against Scotland (2-0), Yugoslavia (9-0) and Brazil (3-0).
Eager to secure their first point and their first FIFA World Cup win, DR Congo have also entered the World Cup with a strong intent to prove themselves.
Also Read: Will Cristiano Ronaldo play tonight for Portugal vs DR Congo in FIFA World Cup 2026?
List of Referees for Portugal vs DR Congo 2026 World Cup match
- Main Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)
- Assistant Referee 1: Taleb Al-Marri (Qatar)
- Assistant Referee 2: Saud Al-Maqaleh / Saud Ahmed (Qatar)
- Fourth Official: Abongile Tom (South Africa)
- Reserve Assistant Referee: Zakhele Siwela (South Africa)
- Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Khamis Al-Marri (Qatar)
When and where will the Portugal vs DR Congo game be played?
The game will be played at the Houston Stadium in Texas on Tuesday, May 16.
In which group are these two teams drawn?
They are drawn in Group K of the FIFA World Cup alongside Uzbekistan and Colombia.
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