By Martin Graham
The final World Cup schedule has confirmed the cities and stadiums where the 48 participants will compete, i Portugal has quickly become a major talking point. with Cristiano Ronaldo approaching what many believe will be their final appearance on the global stage, the team’s itinerary has attracted considerable interest.
A major revelation from FIFA’s announcement is the unexpected inclusion of Miami among Portugal’s host cities. The choice surprised many observers, especially since widespread assumptions suggested that Argentina and Lionel Messi would feature. Instead, Portugal will be the team on display in South Florida, adding an unexpected twist to the tournament’s narrative.
Miami and Houston chosen as bases for Portugal
Portugal’s highlight game in Florida will be against Colombia on Saturday, June 27, at Hard Rock Stadium. The venue, which has recently hosted big occasions such as the Club World Cup and the Copa América final, will now host one of the most anticipated group stage encounters.
In addition to Miami, Houston has been assigned as Portugal’s other base. The team will only move between these two cities during the initial phase of the competition, giving the squad a relatively stable travel schedule. This setup ensures that Ronaldo and his teammates can stay focused without facing long distance travel between matches.
Ronaldo’s group stage journey
Cristiano Ronaldo is scheduled to begin his World Cup campaign on Wednesday, June 17. Portugal’s opening game will be against the winner of the intercontinental qualifying playoff, a competition that includes Jamaica, Congo and New Caledonia.
The second challenge comes at the NRG Stadium, where Portugal will face Uzbekistan on Tuesday, June 23. After that, the team will head to Miami for their final match of the group stage, closing out the first round in front of a highly anticipated international crowd eager to witness one of football’s most iconic figures.
