Messi vs Ronaldo in FIFA World Cup 2026 – Is Argentina vs Portugal possible before the final?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup could be the last dance of two of the greatest footballers of all time, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi, who led Argentina to the World Cup title four years ago, will look to repeat history, this time in the United States of America.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo, who led Portugal to its first-ever international trophy in 2016 – the European Championship – will hope to get his hands on the coveted trophy at the age of 40 in what is one of the few titles to have eluded him in an otherwise illustrious career.

Could Messi and Ronaldo clash at the World Cup?

Yes, there are two scenarios in which Argentina will definitely meet Portugal in the World Cup. But for all of them, Messi and Co. had to lead their group – Group J – in the first round.

Scenario 1: Argentina tops Group J, Portugal tops Group K – Quarter-finals

Argentina and Portugal next meet in the quarterfinals on July 11 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.

The stadium, mainly made for American football, is one of thirteen locations chosen for the World Cup and will be converted into a football destination for a month.

Scenario 2: Argentina tops Group J, Portugal qualifies as second or one of the third-placed teams

Messi and Ronaldo will then meet in the World Cup semi-finals on July 15 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

The venue is one of America’s busiest multi-purpose stadiums, hosting a Super Bowl in 2019 and hosting six FIFA Club World Cup matches earlier this year, including the quarter-final between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

Published on December 6, 2025