Portugal tie with Hungary: What does Cristiano Ronaldo's team need to qualify for 2026 World Cup?

Portugal drew with Hungary and have yet to officially secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup, leaving many fans wondering what Cristiano Ronaldo’s team needs to clinch qualification.

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Updated on October 14, 2025 05:20PM EDT

**© Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images**Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal applauds the fans.

Despite Cristiano Ronaldo becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup Qualifiers with a brace against Hungary, Portugal had to settle for a 2-2 draw, delaying their official qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Still, Roberto Martinez’s side remains in full control of its destiny. Portugal will face Ireland on November 13 and Armenia on November 16 in their final two qualifying matches — and will need just one point from those games to secure a place at the 2026 World Cup.

Portugal came close to securing qualification against Hungary. After falling behind early, Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to put his team ahead and move them within reach of the 2026 World Cup. To clinch their spot, Portugal also needed Armenia to drop points against Ireland — which happened, as Ireland earned a 1-0 win.

However, just when it looked like celebrations were about to erupt at Lisbon’s Jose Alvalade Stadium, Hungary’s Dominik Szoboszlai scored a dramatic equalizer in the 91st minute, silencing the home crowd and delaying Portugal’s qualification for at least one more matchday.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Dominik Szoboszlai speak to the referee. (Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

All the teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup so far

Seven more nations officially punched their ticket to the 2026 World Cup during the latest round of qualifiers, bringing the total number of confirmed teams to 28, with 20 spots still up for grabs.

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While some regions have already wrapped up their qualification campaigns, all continental qualifiers will conclude by November 18, 2025. After that, the intercontinental playoffs, scheduled between March 23–31, 2026, will determine the final nations heading to the tournament hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Concacaf:

United States, Canada, Mexico.

Conmebol:

Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia.

Oceania Football Confederation:

New Zealand.

Asia Football Confederation:

Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Australia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia.

Confederation Africaine de Football:

Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, South Africa, Senegal.

UEFA:

England.

Gianni Taina

Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, bringing his expertise in soccer, NBA, and tennis to deliver original content while providing live coverage of important events.