The road to the 2026 World Cup is heating up, and Portugal stands on the cusp of an early ticket. This weekend brings a crucial home fixture against the Republic of Ireland, a match that could move them closer to securing a coveted spot. UEFA announced Thursday that Slovak referee Ivan Kruzliak will be the man in charge for this important Group F qualifier.
The game is set for Saturday at Lisbon’s Estádio José Alvalade. Kruzliak, 41 years old, will have fellow Slovaks Branislav Hancko and Jan Pozor assisting him on the sidelines. Overseeing the video decisions will be Dutch official Clay Ruperti. This marks a first for Kruzliak, as he has never before refereed a match involving Portugal’s main national team.
While it’s his debut with the Seleção, Kruzliak isn’t entirely new to Portuguese football. He previously handled two club matches during the 2023/24 season. Fans might remember him from Sporting’s 1-1 home draw with Young Boys in the Europa League playoffs. He also oversaw Benfica’s 1-0 victory against Rangers on the road during the round of 16 in the same competition.
Portugal faces a busy schedule with two home games in Lisbon. First, they host the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, followed three days later by a clash with Hungary on the 14th. Both matches kick off at 7:45 PM local time at the Estádio José Alvalade.
The team has enjoyed a fantastic start to their qualification campaign. They began with a dominant 5-0 win over Armenia in Yerevan. This was followed by another impressive performance, securing a 3-2 victory against Hungary in Budapest. These strong results put Portugal at the top of Group F with a perfect six points. Armenia follows with three points, while both Hungary and Ireland have a single point each from their draw.
Portugal now has a golden chance to secure qualification and make their ninth World Cup appearance. It would be their seventh consecutive trip to the global tournament. They can clinch a spot if they win both their upcoming home matches and Armenia fails to win either of their next two games. Armenia is scheduled to face Hungary in Budapest and Ireland in Dublin.
Winning the group means an automatic spot in the World Cup. This next tournament, held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year, will be the first to feature 48 teams. The second-placed team in the group will head to the qualification playoffs, adding extra pressure to these early group stage battles.