Portugal vs Spain Predicted Lineups 2026 World Cup – The 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 presents one of the most highly anticipated matches, featuring an Iberian Peninsula showdown between Portugal and Spain.

Both teams enter the match after securing victories in the previous knockout round and are ready to deliver their best performances to secure a place in the quarter-finals.

The match is scheduled to take place at Dallas Stadium on Monday, July 6, 2026, at 02:00 p.m. local time.

Roberto Martínez's side survived a major scare when they defeated Croatia 2-1 in their opening knockout match, while Luis de la Fuente's team enjoyed a more comfortable passage after defeating Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32.

Now, before the match begins, take a look at Mansion Sports' predicted Portugal vs Spain 2026 World Cup lineups below!

Team News Ahead of the Match

Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo could only watch anxiously from the bench when Josko Gvardiol briefly believed he had sent Portugal's match against Croatia into extra time, after Ivan Perisic, Goncalo Ramos, and the five-time Ballon d'Or winner had all found the net earlier in the match.

The ball appeared to clearly deflect off Renato Veiga and Mario Pasalic before reaching Gvardiol. However, replay footage could not conclusively determine whether the ball had also touched Igor Matanovic's head.

As a result, the match officials had to rely on the ball sensor technology to confirm whether the Croatian striker had made contact with the ball while Pasalic was in an offside position.

The ball sensor technology ultimately confirmed the correct decision, resulting in Croatia's late equalizer being disallowed.

Portugal's bench erupted in celebration as Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup dream remained alive, while Luka Modric's journey came to an end.

Portugal also erased a 60-year historical record by winning a World Cup match after coming from behind for the first time since their encounter against North Korea in 1966. However, the Round of 16 curse remains a significant challenge for them.

Portugal's World Cup campaigns in 2010 and 2018 both ended in the Round of 16. They suffered a similar fate at UEFA Euro 2020 before being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024.

Spain

Spain also managed to improve their poor knockout-stage record. Their convincing 3-0 victory over Austria marked La Roja's first World Cup knockout-stage win beyond the group stage since Andres Iniesta scored the winning goal against the Netherlands in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final.

Two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal, who has now been involved in 23 goals across his last 16 appearances for Spain, along with a goal from Pedro Porro, secured a comfortable victory for the European champions.

The performance also marked the first time Spain had scored more than one goal in a World Cup knockout match since 1994.

Spain have now recorded three consecutive victories at the World Cup. Interestingly, their defensive line has received even more praise than their attack.

Luis de la Fuente's side are one of only two teams yet to concede a single goal in the tournament, alongside hosts Mexico.

Furthermore, during the Round of 32 match, Spain did not face a single shot on target.

That achievement marked the first occurrence in a World Cup knockout match since the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final between Argentina and Germany.

Historically, Spain also hold the superior record against Portugal. From their previous 41 meetings, they have lost only seven times.

However, one of those defeats came in the most recent meeting between the two sides, when Portugal triumphed in a penalty shootout in the 2024–2025 UEFA Nations League Final.

Portugal vs Spain Predicted Lineups 2026 World Cup

Portugal (4-2-3-1)

Portugal's squad is in excellent condition ahead of the Round of 16. Roberto Martínez has a fully fit squad available and is expected to retain the same starting lineup that defeated Croatia.

Cristiano Ronaldo is also expected to remain in the starting lineup despite being substituted in the previous match.

Ronaldo appeared dissatisfied after being substituted early. The change came after he scored his first World Cup knockout-stage goal and before Goncalo Ramos continued his impressive scoring form in major tournaments.

The new AC Milan striker averages a goal or assist every 37 minutes at the World Cup, the best ratio among all Portugal players with at least five goal contributions. Nevertheless, he is expected to begin the match on the bench.

The only remaining selection dilemma is on the right wing. Pedro Neto must compete with Bernardo Silva and Francisco Conceicao for a place in the starting eleven.

Spain (4-2-3-1)

From Spain's camp, Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo, and Aymeric Laporte did not participate in full training on Friday.

However, none of them suffered serious injuries, as the coaching staff were simply managing their workloads.

The situation is different for Yeremy Pino, who is dealing with a shoulder injury, and Nico Williams, who is recovering from an adductor muscle injury.

Both players are expected to miss this Round of 16 encounter, although they could still return if Spain advance to the next round.

Marcos Llorente is available as an alternative should Luis de la Fuente decide not to risk Pedro Porro.

Overall, however, Spain are expected to field the same starting lineup as in their previous match.

The match is expected to be one of the best fixtures of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16. Portugal possess the experience and finishing ability of Cristiano Ronaldo, while Spain arrive with an exceptionally solid defense and impressive performances throughout the tournament.

That concludes the complete information regarding the Portugal vs Spain Predicted Lineups 2026 World Cup, which can serve as a useful reference before the match begins.