2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Armenia vs Portugal Preview, Prediction, Lineups & Telecast Details

The eagerly anticipated Armenia vs Portugal World Cup qualifier takes place on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at Yerevan’s Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium. It marks the start of Portugal’s UEFA qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It serves as a poignant moment following the tragic passing of forward Diogo Jota in July, with the squad gathered to pay tribute as they embark on this journey. Armenia, despite showing attacking flashes in friendlies, faces a daunting challenge against a formidable Portuguese side.

Match Timing

• Date: Saturday, 6 September 2025
  
  

• Location: Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, Yerevan, Armenia
  
  

• Kick-off Times:
  
  

• 16:00 GMT / 5:00 p.m. BST / 09:30 p.m. IST (India)
  
  

• 5:00 p.m. BST / 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT (USA)
  Time zone conversions ensure fans worldwide can tune in without missing a moment.
  
  

Head-to-Head Records

This is the seventh meeting of the two sides. Portugal has won 4 of the previous encounters, with 2 draws, and Armenia has never beaten Portugal in competitive play. Notably, their last meeting was a Euro 2016 qualifier in Yerevan, which saw a 3–2 win for Portugal, including a hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Players to Watch

• Eduard Spertsyan (Armenia): The creative midfielder is back fresh off a brace in a friendly against Montenegro, ready to spearhead his nation's attacking thrust.
  
  

• Tigran Barseghyan (Armenia): With nine international goals, Barseghyan is expected to lead the line and end his scoring drought.
  
  

• Lucas Zelarayán and Grant-Leon Ranos (Armenia): The return of these two provides much-needed quality, with Zelarayán orchestrating play.
  
  

• Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): At 40, he remains the talisman of the Portuguese side. He has scored five goals across four prior matches against Armenia, including a hat-trick.
  
  

• João Neves (Portugal): A rising midfield star who recently bagged a Champions League hat-trick and will likely wear Jota’s No. 21 in tribute.
  
  

Team Lineups

Armenia (Predicted)

• Formation: Varies between 4-3-3 and 5-3-2 setups
  
  

• Goalkeeper: Čančarević
  
  

• Defense: Hovhannisyan, Mkrtchyan, Arutyunyan, Muradyan, Tiknizyan
  
  

• Midfield: Iwu, Dashyan, Zelarayán (supporting)
  
  

• Attack: Barseghyan, Ranos (or support trio with Bichakhchyan)
  
  

Portugal (Predicted)

• Formation: Ranges from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3
  
  

• Defense: Costa; Cancelo, Dias (or Inácio), Mendes; Neves, Fernandes (midfield pivot)
  
  

• Attack: Conceição, Ronaldo, Neto, or Bernardo Silva/João Félix
  
  

Injury updates: Armenia's Narek Grigoryan is out (injury), and Norberto Briasco is unavailable due to personal reasons. Portugal is missing Rafael Leão and Diogo Dalot.

Match Predictions

Analysts widely expect a comfortable win for Portugal:

• Khel Now predicts Armenia 1–3 Portugal.
  
  

• Both Sports Illustrated and The Playoffs forecast 0–3 in favor of Portugal.
  
  

• Betting markets lean to over 2.5 goals, with notable bets on Ronaldo to score or assist, and value on João Félix anytime scorer.
  
  

Telecast Details

Coverage will be widely available:

• India: Sony Sports Network
  
  

• UK: Amazon Prime Video (PPV) and possibly BBC/Khel Now pre-match slots
  
  

• USA: fuboTV, Fox Soccer Plus, and Fox's platforms
  
  

• Canada: DAZN Canada, Amazon Prime Video
  
  

• Nigeria: SuperSport