Portugal to Face USA in 2026 Friendly; Cristiano Ronaldo Returns to U.S. After 12-Year Hiatus

The U.S. Soccer Federation and the Portuguese Football Federation are set to officially announce a friendly match scheduled for March 2026 at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Relevant agreements for the fixture have been finalized and signed. Prior to this, Portugal secured qualification for next summer’s World Cup with a resounding 9-1 victory over Armenia. According to multiple anonymous sources familiar with the discussions, only the official confirmation remains pending.

Camel Live first revealed the ongoing negotiations for the match back in September. However, both this fixture and another planned March friendly against Belgium are subject to final agreement, as well as Portugal and Belgium successfully qualifying for the World Cup without the need for playoffs.

This match holds significant meaning for Portugal, as it will end Cristiano Ronaldo’s nearly 12-year absence from playing in the United States.

Ronaldo’s last appearance in the U.S. came on August 2, 2014, when he featured as a substitute for Real Madrid against Manchester United in front of 109,318 spectators at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. Earlier that summer, he had represented Portugal in the U.S. for the final time, in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Ronaldo’s avoidance of U.S. events has drawn increasing attention since 2017, when media outlets exposed details of an alleged sexual assault involving the player and model Kathryn Mayorga during a 2009 vacation in Las Vegas. Ronaldo has consistently and firmly denied the allegations, and no charges were ever filed. Since then, he has not been publicly photographed in the U.S. nor participated in any pre-season or exhibition matches held there, regardless of whether he was playing for Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United, or his current club Al Nassr. In late 2022, Ronaldo did hold initial talks about a potential move to Major League Soccer (MLS) side Sporting Kansas City, but ultimately opted to join the Saudi Arabian club.
In recent months, Ronaldo has also been involved in efforts linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s diplomatic initiatives. In July, during the G7 Summit in Canada, European Council President António Costa (also Portuguese) presented President Trump with a signed Portugal No. 7 jersey by Ronaldo, which bore the message: “To President Donald J. Trump, fighting for peace.”

In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo expressed his desire to meet with Trump to discuss world peace: “He is one of the people who can help change the world. The U.S. President is a pivotal figure globally, and if we can assist each other in achieving this goal… I swear, I barely watch TV. Sometimes I start watching the news but can’t bear it… He is one of the people I am eager to meet and have an in-depth conversation with. Whether here or in the U.S., wherever he chooses. I know he met with our boss (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman) in Saudi Arabia before, and I look forward to meeting him one day because he is someone who gets things done, and I admire that.”

For the U.S. national team, this match is a crucial part of their World Cup preparations. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino will lead his side against Portugal, currently ranked 5th in the world, while Belgium sits at 8th. Recently, the U.S. has played friendlies against South American teams Ecuador and Paraguay, as well as Asian nations Japan, South Korea, and Australia. As Pochettino looks to finalize his squad ahead of the home World Cup, facing off against a top European side will undoubtedly be a more rigorous test.