Portugal vs Republic of Ireland Preview

The stage is set at Estádio José Alvalade for a compelling World Cup Qualifying encounter between Portugal and the Republic of Ireland on October 11th, 2025. This fixture promises high-octane drama as the hosts look to maintain their impressive momentum against an Irish side desperately seeking to reignite their qualifying campaign. Portugal arrive in blistering form, unbeaten in their last five matches with five consecutive victories, including dominant performances against Hungary (3-2) and Armenia (5-0) in their most recent World Cup qualifiers. The Seleção have been nothing short of spectacular, showcasing their attacking prowess with clinical finishing and creative midfield play. Their statistical superiority is evident – averaging 2.2 shots per game with a 59% aerial duel success rate, demonstrating their physical and technical dominance.

In stark contrast, the Republic of Ireland enter this clash amid a concerning slump. The Boys in Green have won just 1 of their last five fixtures, managing just three draws and suffering a defeat to Armenia (2-1). Their most recent outings saw them held to a 2-2 tie with Hungary and frustrating draws against both Luxembourg and Senegal. Ireland’s attacking output has been worryingly anemic, averaging just 1.4 shots per game with a modest 56% aerial duel success rate. The contrast in form and statistics paints a picture of two teams heading in opposite directions – Portugal surging forward with confidence, while Ireland struggle to find any rhythm or cutting edge in the final third.

Team news adds another layer of intrigue to this encounter. Portugal will be without PSG midfielder João Neves due to injury, but the hosts can take comfort in Cristiano Ronaldo’s fitness as he prepares to lead the line. For Ireland, the injury concerns mount with Matt Doherty, Bosun Lawal, and Jason Knight all ruled out, while Evan Ferguson’s involvement remains doubtful after missing training with a minor ankle issue. Troy Parrott’s availability provides some relief for the visitors, though they’ll need far more than just his presence to trouble a Portuguese defence that has looked imperious. Fans around the globe can catch this crucial qualifier at 19:45 GMT, with coverage available on RTE 2 and RTE Player in Ireland, Sport TV1 in Portugal, Amazon Prime Video in the UK, and fuboTV in the USA.

Possible line-ups:

Portugal (4-2-3-1)

Costa, Semedo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes, Neves, Vitinha, Fernandes, Ronaldo, Félix, Silva

Republic of Ireland (3-4-2-1)

Kelleher, Manning, Collins, O’Shea, Azaz, Cullen, Taylor, Molumby, Ogbene, O’Brien, Ferguson

⚽ Portugal – Last 5 Games

Competition	Result	W/D/L
World Cup Qualifying	Portugal 3-2 Hungary	✓
World Cup Qualifying	Portugal 5-0 Armenia	✓
Nations League	Portugal 2-2 Spain	✓
Nations League	Portugal 2-1 Germany	✓
Nations League	Portugal 5-2 Denmark	✓

🍀 Republic of Ireland – Last 5 Games

Competition	Result	W/D/L
World Cup Qualifying	Armenia 2-1 Republic of Ireland	✗
World Cup Qualifying	Republic of Ireland 2-2 Hungary	🤝
International Friendly	Luxembourg 0-0 Republic of Ireland	🤝
International Friendly	Republic of Ireland 1-1 Senegal	🤝
Nations League	Republic of Ireland 2-1 Bulgaria	✓

🆚 Head-to-Head Record

Competition	Result	Score
International Friendly	Portugal 3-0 Republic of Ireland	Jun 11, 2024
World Cup Qualifying	Republic of Ireland 0-0 Portugal	Nov 11, 2021
World Cup Qualifying	Portugal 2-1 Republic of Ireland	Sep 1, 2021
International Friendly	Republic of Ireland 1-5 Portugal	Jun 11, 2014
International Friendly	Republic of Ireland 1-0 Portugal	Feb 9, 2005

📺 TV Listings / Streaming

Country	TV Channel / Streaming
Portugal	Sport TV Multiscreen, RTP Play, Sport TV1, RTP 1
Ireland	RTE Player, Amazon Prime Video, RTE 2
United Kingdom	Amazon Prime Video
USA	fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video, Fubo Sports Network, ViX
Germany	DAZN Germany, Amazon Prime Video, Joyn
France	L’Équipe Live Foot
Spain	DAZN Spain
Australia	Optus Sport, Stan Sport
Canada	DAZN Canada, Amazon Prime Video
India	JioTV, Sony LIV, SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 2 HD