Portugal qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026 after crushing Armenia

Portugal secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a commanding 9–1 victory over Armenia, despite the absence of star forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The emphatic win also ensured Portugal finished at the top of their qualifying Group F.

Bruno Fernandes and João Neves were the standout performers, each scoring a hat-trick to lead Portugal to direct qualification for the World Cup.

The triumph came just days after Portugal suffered a 0–2 defeat to Ireland on Thursday, a match in which captain Cristiano Ronaldo was shown a red card and subsequently suspended, ruling him out of the Armenia clash.

Reacting to the team’s qualification, Ronaldo celebrated the achievement on social media, writing: “We are in the World Cup! Vamos Portugal!”

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, featuring an expanded lineup of 48 teams.

With this qualification, Portugal have booked their place in the World Cup for the ninth time overall and the seventh consecutive edition.