Debut of Portugal and Cristiano: schedules and where to watch the 2026 World Cup matches

By Camila Torres

The ball does not stop rolling in the North American headquarters. This Tuesday, June 17, 2026, the World Cup calendar gives us an agenda with its own name: the debut of Cristiano Ronaldo. While the world of football is still processing the emotions of the first days, the Houston Stadium in Texas is preparing to receive a Portugal that has much more than just three points at stake.

For the Portuguese, this Cup is the definitive stage. Behind him, the glory of the Ballon d'Or and the weight of a career that no longer admits of waiting. Opposite, a Democratic Republic of the Congo that returns to the big event after half a century of absence. It is that mix of historical urgency and hunger for a debut that gives today's game a different flavor.

Portugal and the CR7 factor

From 2:00 p.m., all eyes will be on the number 7 shirt. Cristiano, the man of a thousand games and infinite records, faces his sixth World Cup. Although in Qatar they said goodbye with the bitterness of the elimination against Morocco, today the air is different. Roberto Martínez's team has names like Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva to sustain the game, but the epic, as always, seems to happen through the captain.

Portugal's probable eleven is scary because of its names, but Congo arrives with enthusiasm intact and a defensive block led by Chancel Mbemba that will seek to stop the Portuguese gale from the first minute.

England facing the shadow of 2018

Later, the main course changes scene. At 5:00 p.m., England and Croatia meet in a match that is, in essence, a pending score. That July 11, 2018 in Moscow still resonates, where the Croats snatched the dream of a World Cup final from the English.

Today, the story has other nuances. Luka Modric, at 40 years old, is still the brain that pulls the strings. Together with Perisic, he leads a golden generation that knows that this is its last great effort. On the English side, Thomas Tuchel has worked hard on a squad that underwent last-minute changes with the inclusion of Trevoh Chalobah. The question floating in the air is whether this time the “Three Lions team” will be able to break a drought that has already lasted six decades.

Colombia and the premiere of the illusion

In parallel to the giants, Group L starts its machinery with the debut of Colombia against the inexperienced Uzbekistan. With Luis Díaz in an overwhelming moment of form—after his 15 goals in the Bundesliga—Néstor Lorenzo's team arrives as favorites. However, we should not underestimate Fabio Cannavaro's team, which promises tactical order and the discipline that the Italian coach was able to impart to him during his training period.

For Panama, the duel against Ghana is an early final. With the advantage of having spent an entire week concentrated in the Nottawasaga complex, Christiansen's team knows that adding today is mandatory if they want to survive in an area where England and Croatia seem to be at the helm.