Armenia Set to Battle Portugal: Match Preview, Bold Predictions and Starting XI Revealed
Portugal's journey toward the 2026 World Cup qualification commences in Yerevan this Saturday night, as they face Armenia for the first encounter since 2015.
An emotional moment is anticipated in Armenia's capital this weekend, as Portugal steps onto the pitch for their initial match following Diogo Jota's heartbreaking death.
The ex-Liverpool striker participated in their last match in June, when they secured the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League title through a penalty shootout triumph against Spain.
Their participation in that tournament has delayed the beginning of World Cup qualifying for the upcoming year, with Portugal being placed in a four-team group alongside Hungary and the Republic of Ireland, in addition to Saturday's adversaries.
Armenia holds the 105th position globally according to FIFA's world rankings and has never reached a major international competition since achieving independence in 1991.
Here's Sports Illustrated's comprehensive match preview.
What Time Does Armenia vs. Portugal Kick-Off?
Armenia vs. Portugal Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Armenia | Portugal |
|---|---|
Montenegro 2–2 Armenia - 09/06/25 | Portugal 2–2 (5–3p) Spain - 08/06/25 |
Kosovo 5–2 Armenia - 06/06/25 | Germany 1–2 Portugal – 04/06/25 |
Georgia 6–1 Armenia - 23/03/25 | Portugal 5–2 Denmark – 23/03/25 |
Armenia 0–3 Georgia - 20/03/25 | Denmark 1–0 Portugal – 20/03/25 |
Latvia 1–2 Armenia – 17/11/24 | Croatia 1–1 Portugal – 18/11/24 |
How to Watch Armenia vs. Portugal on TV
Country | TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
United States | fuboTV, ViX, Fox Soccer Plus |
United Kingdom | Amazon Prime Video |
Canada | DAZN Canada, Amazon Prime Video |
Mexico | Sky+, Sky Sports Mexico |
Armenia Team News
Armenia's most notable football talent in recent times, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, has stepped away from international duty since 2022, leaving them to cope without their star playmaker for the past few years.
Narek Grigoryan is unavailable this month due to injury concerns, while Norberto Briasco is handling a personal matter. The 22-year-old defender Styopa Mkrtchyan is anticipated to be available despite managing a fitness concern at the beginning of the 2025–26 season.
Borussia Mönchengladbach's Grant-Leon Ranos has returned to the squad.
Armenia Predicted Lineup vs. Portugal
Armenia predicted lineup vs. Portugal (4-3-3): Čančarević; Hovhannisyan, Mkrtchyan, Arutyunyan, Muradyan, Tiknizyan; Iwu, Dashyan; Bichakhchyan, Zelarayan; Barseghyan
Portugal Team News
Roberto Martinez's 23-player selection for Portugal's September match is once more packed with world-class talent, and Cristiano Ronaldo will maintain his prominent attacking role for the national team.
Ronaldo is backed by an exceptional supporting ensemble, featuring four recent Champions League victors. Among them, João Neves joins the international break after netting an incredible hat-trick in Paris Saint-Germain's win over Toulouse during the weekend.
Manchester United has announced that Diogo Dalot must pull out of Martinez's squad due to a muscular problem, while AC Milan's Rafael Leão was omitted because of a calf concern.
Portugal Predicted Lineup vs. Armenia
Portugal predicted lineup vs Armenia (4-2-3-1): Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Inácio, Mendes; Vitinha, J. Neves; B. Silva, Fernandes, Neto; Ronaldo.
Armenia vs. Portugal Score Prediction
Portugal demonstrated their quality at the beginning of summer, defeating Germany and Spain to claim the Nations League trophy.
This represents, without question, one of the globe's most gifted squads, yet they haven't managed to deliver when it matters most since their surprising Euro 2016 success.
Armenia remains without victory in their last four matches and ranks among UEFA's weaker-performing teams in recent periods. They're expected to offer minimal challenge during Portugal's visit, and Martinez's team should begin their qualifying campaign with a victory.