Portugal confirmed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a commanding 9-1 victory over Armenia in Porto on Sunday, producing their most dominant display of the qualifying campaign even without the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo.
Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves stepped up in style, scoring hat-tricks to lead Portugal to a statement win at home.
Renato Veiga opened the scoring in the early minutes, with Goncalo Ramos and Francisco Conceicao adding a goal each as Portugal sealed top spot in Group F.
Portugal entered the match needing a strong finish after a draw in Hungary and a shock defeat to Ireland earlier in the week. They responded with complete control from kickoff, pressing high and punishing Armenia’s defensive mistakes.
Veiga set the tone with a clean strike, before Fernandes and Neves took over the midfield and broke through Armenia’s backline repeatedly.
Ramos added his name to the scoresheet with a sharp finish, while Conceicao struck late to complete the rout. Armenia struggled to cope with Portugal’s pace and intensity, allowing the hosts to dominate possession and territory throughout.
The victory ensured Portugal’s qualification at the third attempt and secured their seventh consecutive appearance at the World Cup.
Despite Ronaldo sitting the game out, the Euro 2016 champions showcased their depth, creativity and attacking balance, elements that will be crucial as they prepare for next year’s tournament in North America.
Coach Roberto Martinez praised the team’s response after two difficult outings, highlighting the leadership of senior players and the rise of young talents like Neves.
Fernandes, meanwhile, delivered one of his best performances of the campaign, controlling the tempo and finishing with authority.
Spain and Switzerland also moved within touching distance of qualification over the weekend.
Spain maintained their perfect run with a 4-0 win against Georgia, as Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice and Ferran Torres added another. The result kept Spain firmly in control of Group E, with Turkey needing a highly unlikely seven-goal victory in their final match to overtake them.
Switzerland also closed in on qualification after a 4-1 win over Sweden, with Granit Xhaka scoring from the spot and Dan Ndoye extending the lead late on. Both European giants now stand just one routine result away from confirming their place at next year’s tournament.
Portugal, however, will now shift focus to building momentum and refining their squad as they chase their first-ever World Cup title.