Republic of Ireland Face Must-Win Clash Against Portugal
The Republic of Ireland's hopes of reaching the World Cup finals hang by a thread as they prepare to host Group F leaders Portugal in a pivotal qualifier at the Aviva Stadium. With just two games remaining, the Irish sit one point behind second-placed Hungary, meaning anything less than a positive result could extinguish their qualification dream.
How to Watch the Crucial Qualifier
This high-stakes World Cup qualifier is scheduled for Thursday, 13 November 2025. The action kicks off at 7:45pm GMT at Dublin's Aviva Stadium.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the match will be broadcast live on Premier Sports 1. Supporters can also stream the entire game live via the Premier Sports App.
Team News and Predicted Line-Ups
Ireland will be without star striker Evan Ferguson, who has been ruled out with an ankle injury. Johnny Kemp has been called up as his replacement. While there is hope Ferguson could return for the final qualifier against Hungary, the same cannot be said for Bristol City's Mark Sykes, who is confirmed to miss both of the remaining fixtures.
Portugal arrive without the world-class Nuno Mendes, but their squad remains packed with elite talent. The likes of Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, and Ruben Dias are all expected to feature, alongside the evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo.
The memory of their last meeting will fuel the Irish. Last month in Lisbon, Ireland came agonisingly close to a famous draw, only for a late Ruben Neves header to snatch a 1-0 win for Portugal after Ronaldo had a penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher. Ronaldo's subsequent wild celebration in the face of defender Jake O'Brien has added an extra layer of motivation for the home side.
Predicted line-ups:
Ireland XI: Kelleher; O’Brien, Collins, O’Shea; Coleman, Cullen, Molumby, Manning; Ebosele, Ogbene; Parrott.
Portugal XI: Costa; Dalot, Inacio, Dias, Cancelo; Fernandes; Neves, Vitinha; Silva, Ronaldo, Neto.
