Nigeria’s lineup against Portugal, instead, will feature other names who hope to contribute for the next World Cup Qualifying cycle: Maduka Okoye; Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi; Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Tochukwu Nnadi, Christian Akpan; Moses Simon, Akor Adams. Follow Portugal vs Nigeria live with us for updates and minute-by-minute coverage!

On the bench, the following players will hope to impress coach Eric Chelle: Francis Uzoho, Arthur Okonkwo; Abdullahi Bewene, Zaidu Sanusi, Emmanuel Fernandez; Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika; Philip Otele, Terem Moffi, Paul Onuachu.

Osimhen, Lookman have yet to play at a World Cup on the senior level

Once again, Osimhen is missing the World Cup as Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 edition. At 27, the Galatasaray star has yet to play at the senior global tournament, having made an impression as a youngster in the 2015 U-17 World Cup played in Chile.

Lookman, only a year older than Osimhen, is also waiting for his first senior World Cup appearance. Perhaps the 2030 edition sees the duo redeem themselves and put the country back on the map as Nigeria‘s last World Cup appearance to date came in 2018, when they suffered a group stage exit.

Ronaldo starts ahead of sixth World Cup appearance

Ronaldo, on the other hand, is preparing to play in his sixth World Cup as he chases an unprecedented record. If he scores in the 2026 edition, CR7 will become the first player in tournament history to score in six different World Cups.

The fact that he’s already making a sixth appearance is also setting a record, one he’s sharing with Lionel Messi and Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. But the Portuguese needs just one goal to secure an exclusive record of his own.

The opening goal came from Pedro Neto, who, after an assist from Francisco Trincão, finished accurately with his left foot. The equalizer came from Akor Adams, following a well-executed counterattack.

In the second half, Francisco Conceição, who had come off the bench, scored the decisive goal for Roberto Martínez’s side. Now, Portugal’s focus is already set on the upcoming World Cup, with their debut set for Wednesday, June 17, against DR Congo.

Everything is set for the 2026 World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo, who fans are questioning if he’s playing today, and Portugal enter the tournament as one of the top contenders, and they want to be fully prepared by playing a pre-World Cup friendly just one day before the opening match. Follow Portugal vs Nigeria live with us!

Nigeria will provide a valuable test, as Portugal look to become more familiar with African soccer ahead of their clash against DR Congo on June 17. Mateo Busquets Ferrer will serve as the central referee, an experienced official who will aim to keep the match under control. For those wondering, the Portugal vs. Nigeria clash will be broadcast in the USA.

Who is Mateo Busquets Ferrer?

Mateo Busquets Ferrer is a 32-year-old Spanish referee who is currently regarded as one of the best officials in LaLiga. He has overseen many high-profile matches involving Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid in Spain’s top division.

Busquets Ferrer made his LaLiga debut during the 2023/24 season after delivering strong performances in the Spanish second division. However, he has yet to officiate a UEFA Champions League match, as he has not been appointed to the competition by UEFA.

The Spanish referee has officiated 58 LaLiga matches, averaging 5.7 yellow cards per game. He has also shown 20 red cards and awarded 17 penalties. Busquets Ferrer is not a FIFA referee, which is why he was not selected for the 2026 World Cup.

Are there any Spanish referees at the 2026 World Cup?

Yes. There are four Spanish officials at the 2026 World Cup, although only one serves as a central referee. Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez is the main referee, while Carlos del Cerro Grande is assigned to VAR duties. Diego Sanchez and Jose Enrique Naranjo are serving as assistant referees.

For Mateo Busquets Ferrer, this match between Portugal and Nigeria is an important opportunity for growth. He can prove to UEFA that he is ready to officiate in the Champions League and continue building his career with the goal of reaching the 2030 World Cup.

How to watch Portugal vs Nigeria in the USA

Soccer fans in the United States can catch all the live action on FOX Soccer Plus as this marquee showdown unfolds.

Those who prefer to stream can follow the match through Fubo and ViX, ensuring they don’t miss a single moment from kickoff to the final whistle.

Can I watch Portugal vs Nigeria for free?

Viewers in the United States can watch this high-profile matchup live on Fubo, which includes access to the channel broadcasting the game nationwide.

Although Fubo often offers a free trial period for first-time users, that promotion does not apply to this matchup, so fans in the U.S. will need an active subscription to stream the action. Follow Portugal vs Nigeria live with us for minute-by-minute updates!

Match Preview: What’s at stake?

With their 2026 World Cup opener rapidly approaching, Portugal enter the tournament as one of the favorites to contend for the title, powered by a star-studded roster headlined by Cristiano Ronaldo and packed with talent across every position.

With Ronaldo expected to play today, the Portuguese will square off against Nigeria in a high-profile friendly, giving them a valuable test against one of Africa’s most respected national teams.

Although Nigeria narrowly missed out on World Cup qualification, the Super Eagles still possess plenty of quality and will welcome the opportunity to measure themselves against a European powerhouse while building momentum for upcoming international competitions. That’s why we can expect strong lineups from Portugal and Nigeria today.

Portugal vs Nigeria: Lineups

Portugal: Diogo Costa; Diogo Dalot, Gonçalo Inácio, Rúben Dias, Nelson Semedo; João Neves, Vitinha; Francisco Trincão, Bruno Fernandes, Pedro Neto; Cristiano Ronaldo.

Nigeria: Maduka Okoye; Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi; Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Tochukwu Nnadi, Christian Akpan; Moses Simon, Akor Adams.

What time is the Portugal vs Nigeria match?

The match kicks off today, June 10, at 3:45 PM (ET). For viewers in different regions of the United States, here are the local start times:

Eastern Time: 3:45 PM
Central Time: 2:45 PM
Mountain Time: 1:45 PM
Pacific Time: 12:45 PM

Roberto Martínez’s side arrives in strong form after defeating Chile 2-1 in their previous friendly thanks to goals from Gonçalo Guedes and Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese have won three of their last four matches and are widely viewed as one of the leading contenders to challenge for the World Cup title this summer.

Nigeria, meanwhile, will use the friendly as an opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition despite missing out on a World Cup spot. The Super Eagles reached the final stage of the African playoffs but fell short against DR Congo, extending their absence from the World Cup to a second consecutive edition.

Portugal’s confirmed lineup

Portugal are fielding a strong starting XI featuring several of their biggest stars. Cristiano Ronaldo is playing against Nigeria today as Martínez continues preparing his preferred lineup for the tournament.

Portugal’s confirmed lineup: Diogo Costa; Diogo Dalot, Gonçalo Inácio, Rúben Dias, Nelson Semedo; João Neves, Vitinha; Francisco Trincão, Bruno Fernandes, Pedro Neto; Cristiano Ronaldo.

Nigeria’s confirmed lineup

Nigeria may not be heading to the World Cup, but the squad still features several experienced players capable of challenging one of Europe’s strongest teams. The match provides an important opportunity to evaluate the group’s progress ahead of future international competitions. Stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman aren’t playing today as Nigeria opted to give them rest.

Nigeria’s confirmed lineup: Maduka Okoye; Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi; Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Tochukwu Nnadi, Christian Akpan; Moses Simon, Akor Adams.

The good news for Portugal supporters is that Cristiano Ronaldo is starting. Despite ongoing speculation about his international future, Martínez confirmed that the captain remains fully focused on helping the national team and is not treating the match as a farewell appearance on Portuguese soil.

Portugal enter the contest as one of the tournament’s dark-horse contenders after winning the UEFA Nations League and qualifying comfortably for the World Cup. Nigeria, on the other hand, won’t be playing at the World Cup after a disappointing qualifying campaign. And that explains why neither Victor Osimhen nor Ademola Lookman are playing today.

Cristiano Ronaldo starts for Portugal

Ronaldo is leading Portugal’s attack in what will be the team’s final competitive test before traveling to North America. The 41-year-old superstar continues to be a central figure for Martínez despite entering his record sixth FIFA World Cup.

Martínez praised his captain ahead of the match and emphasized Ronaldo’s commitment to the national team. “Our captain sets an example in everything he does,” Martínez said, according to ESPN. “He gives his all, 24 hours a day, to help the national team.”

The Portugal coach also made it clear that neither Ronaldo nor the rest of the squad is looking beyond the immediate challenge. “The focus is on training, being the best, putting the concepts into practice and showing pride in wearing the shirt. That’s the example he sets. His sole aim is to use it for tomorrow to improve,” Martínez added.

Portugal preparing for World Cup opener

Martínez revealed that Portugal plans to rotate heavily against Nigeria, with the objective of giving playing time to nearly the entire squad before the tournament begins.

“The idea is to make eleven substitutions and try to ensure everyone gets some playing time,” Martínez explained. “Our number one priority is to get the players on the plane ready for the World Cup.”

For Portugal, the friendly provides a final opportunity to sharpen their tactics and evaluate player fitness before beginning what many hope will be a historic run at the 2026 tournament.

After a 1-1 draw, Nigeria fell in a penalty shootout to DR Congo in the African playoff final. With that, DR Congo moved on to the intercontinental playoff, where it defeated Jamaica to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. As the Leopards reached soccer’s biggest tournament for the first time since 1974 (back when the country was known as Zaire), the Super Eagles waved goodbye to their World Cup aspirations.

For the second straight World Cup, Nigeria won’t be competing against the best national teams in the world. As a matter of fact, Osimhen’s drought will continue, as he has yet to make his World Cup debut.

Osimhen has never played at a World Cup

Although he made his debut with Nigeria’s national team in May 2017, Osimhen didn’t make the roster for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. At the time, he was 19 years old and coming off a goalless season with Bundesliga side VFL Wolfsburg.

In 2022, Osimhen had already established himself as one of the best players in Serie A, scoring goals with ease for Napoli. However, Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, and there went his dream.

More of the same happened this time around, as the Super Eagles will be watching the 2026 World Cup from home. Osimhen will be 31 years old by the 2030 World Cup and he may be facing his last chance to represent his country in the biggest stage.

Osimhen’s breakout in 2015 U-17 World Cup

Back in 2015, Osimhen led Nigeria’s U-17 national team to its fifth world championship in the country’s history. Osimhen scored 10 goals and recorded two assists throughout the tournament in Chile. Needless to say, he led the World Cup in scoring and was awarded the Golden Boot for his unstoppable scoring form.

Nigeria defeated Mali in the gold-medal game, with Osimhen scoring the game-winning goal. Only 16 years old at the time, he put the entire world on notice: the Super Eagles had a force to be reckoned with at striker.

Osimhen’s bad luck with Nigeria

Fast forward more than a decade, and Osimhen has proven to be one of the best forwards in the world during his prime, but he has fallen well short of expectations, especially those set by his countrymen.

Who would’ve guessed that, after Osimhen made his senior-team debut in 2017, Nigeria—which had qualified for five of the previous six World Cups—would go on to make only one of the next three, and that Osimhen wouldn’t be part of the team the one time it did qualify?

The fact is Nigeria finished second in their qualification group and subsequently lost a penalty shootout to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the African play-off final. Hence, their shot at going to the 2026 World Cup vanished in devastating fashion.

The whole qualifying process was messy. Nigeria won just four of their 10 matches, one behind group winners South Africa. Then, the DR Congo penalty shootout happened, ending quite a streak of good international results for Nigeria.

How many times has Nigeria played in the World Cup?

Nigeria has played the FIFA World Cup tournament six times. Its tournament debut was in 1994 in the United States. The Eagles have qualified for six of the nine tournaments between 1994 and now, including 2026. They missed the 2006 edition, but then they missed Qatar 2022.

This means Nigeria have now missed two World Cups in a row, which might be a sign of the soccer crisis they’re going through. They went from perennial mainstay to common absentee.

Which African countries are playing in the 2026 World Cup?

Ten African countries will play in the 2026 World Cup. It’s the first time in history that this will happen. The record number is because of the World Cup expansion from 32 to 48 national teams.

• Algeria
• Cape Verde
• DR Congo
• Egypt
• Ghana
• Ivory Coast
• Morocco
• Senegal
• South Africa
• Tunisia

Terem Moffi had opened the scoring for the African side, while Kacper Potulski equalized in the first half. After the break, Paul Onuachu put Nigeria back in front from the penalty spot, and late on, a stunning goal from Przemysław Wiśniewski sealed the final score.

In this way, both teams continue to stay active despite not being able to feature in the upcoming World Cup. You followed the live coverage minute by minute on Bolavip, and we look forward to seeing you in our next coverage!

After a regulation 90 minutes that offered few thrills, it was Nigeria who showed more attacking intent and created more scoring opportunities. However, neither side was able to capitalize, resulting in a scoreless deadlock at the end of normal time.

In a departure from traditional formats, the match proceeded directly to a penalty shootout following the draw. Egypt faltered early as their two biggest stars, Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, saw their attempts saved by Stanley Nwabali. The Pharaohs were never able to recover, allowing Nigeria to maintain the advantage and secure the bronze.

Both nations enjoyed stellar campaigns, finishing as leaders of their respective groups and remaining unbeaten until the semifinals. There, Egypt‘s run was halted by Senegal in a narrow 1-0 defeat, decided by a Sadio Mane strike that sent the Lions of Teranga to the final.

On the other side, Nigeria entered the semifinals having won every match of the tournament, but they faced a formidable host nation. In a hard-fought encounter that ended 0-0 after extra time, it was Morocco who ultimately prevailed in a penalty shootout (4-2), securing their ticket to the final where they will play for their second-ever continental title.

What happens if Egypt win vs Nigeria?

Should Egypt secure a victory over Nigeria, the Pharaohs will claim third place in the 2025 AFCON, marking the fourth time in their history they have achieved this distinction.

What happens if Egypt and Nigeria tie?

If the score remains level at the end of the 90-minute regulation period, the match will proceed directly to a penalty shootout to determine the bronze medal winner. Unlike the earlier knockout rounds, there is no extra time scheduled for the third-place playoff, ensuring a decisive result immediately following the final whistle.

What happens if Egypt lose vs Nigeria?

If Nigeria emerge victorious in the AFCON 2025 third-place match, the Super Eagles will claim the bronze medal, marking the ninth time in their history they have achieved this recognition.