Portugal v Uzbekistan: time, TV and line-ups for 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Portugal and Uzbekistan take the field this Tuesday (23) at 2 p.m. (Brasília time) at NRG Stadium in Houston, for Group K of the 2026 World Cup. Under pressure after drawing with DR Congo in their opener, the Portuguese national team knows that only a win will be enough to stay alive in the race for the top spot in the group — and Cristiano Ronaldo comes into the match as the main figure expected to deliver a response.

Time and where to watch Portugal vs Uzbekistan

How each team comes into the match

Portugal opened with a 1-1 draw against DR Congo, a result that came as a negative surprise and left the team in third place in Group K with just 1 point. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, played the full 90 minutes and had three shots, but did not score and was criticized for a quiet performance. Colombia, the group leader with 3 points, has already opened up an advantage.

+ Who are the 3 Portuguese coaches on Vasco’s radar?

Uzbekistan comes in in an even more delicate situation: they opened with a 3-1 loss to Colombia and are bottom of the group with no points. The team, coached by former Italian center-back Fabio Cannavaro, scored its first-ever World Cup goal in that match — a positive note amid the setback.

Probable Portugal lineup

The big news is the return of center-back Rúben Dias, who missed the opener with a thigh injury and is expected to regain his starting spot alongside Renato Veiga. Head coach Roberto Martínez has a doubt between João Félix and Pedro Neto for the left-sided attacking role — both are competing for the spot alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

Portugal (4-3-3): Diogo Costa; João Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, João Neves, Bruno Fernandes; Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pedro Neto (or João Félix). Coach: Roberto Martínez.

Probable Uzbekistan lineup

Uzbekistan will have an important absence: starting center-back Rustam Ashurmatov is out with muscle pain, which further weakens the team’s defensive line. Cannavaro is expected to keep the compact structure seen in the opener.

+ Follow Papo na Colina on social media: Thread, Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok and Google News.

Uzbekistan (4-3-3): Yusupov; Khusanov, Urozov, Abdullaev; Karimov, Mozgovoy, Shukurov; Fayzullaev, Shomurodov, Khamrobekov. Coach: Fabio Cannavaro.

What’s at stake

For Portugal, victory is practically mandatory: another slip-up would leave the team depending on a combination of results to advance to the round of 16, in a group where Colombia is already out in front. More than the three points, the match is seen as a test of character — especially for Ronaldo, who faces the scrutiny of a World Cup that could be the last of his career at 41.

For Uzbekistan, the mission is historic at its core: the team has never won a World Cup match, and a positive result against one of the title favorites would be one of the biggest surprises of the tournament. Tuesday’s clash is entirely unprecedented — Portugal and Uzbekistan have never faced each other in official matches or friendlies throughout history.

+ Follow Papo na Colina on social media: Thread, Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok and Google News.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.