Cristiano Ronaldo vs. World Cup hosts? Mexico confirms March friendly vs. Portugal as USMNT game remains pending

With the friendly against the USMNT still unconfirmed, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will be facing Mexico as part of their preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo has led Portugal to yet another World Cup, which is set to be the final major tournament for the Al Nassr star by his own admission, with only four friendlies left before kickoff. With the match against the USMNT still unresolved, Ronaldo is set to travel to North America to face Mexico in one of March’s scheduled tune-ups.

The Mexico national team confirmed on Tuesday the two opponents El Tri will face during the March international window, with Ronaldo’s Portugal among them. The matchup between Mexico and Portugal is set for March 28, 2026, at the revamped Banorte Stadium, formerly Estadio Azteca, in Ciudad de Mexico.

In this case, Ronaldo will have the chance to prepare against one of the World Cup hosts, specifically in the venue that staged two opening matches in 1970 and 1986 and will once again open the tournament in 2026. The former Real Madrid star will meet El Tri for just the second time, the first coming in the 2017 Confederations Cup group stage, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Both national teams met again in the third-place match of that same tournament, a 2-1 win for Portugal. However, Ronaldo requested to miss the match, leaving him absent from what would have been his second appearance against Mexico.

For El Tri, the March meeting comes with the chance to finally secure their first win over Portugal, a nation that has caused them trouble historically. Across their five matchups (once at the 2006 World Cup, twice in friendlies, and twice in the Confederations Cup), Portugal holds three victories and the other two games finished in draws, with Mexico still seeking a breakthrough.

Portugal’s second friendly yet to be confirmed

Mexico already announced that their March international window will include Portugal first, followed by Belgium on the 31st—two high-level tests as they prepare for the World Cup. However, Portugal’s second friendly remains unconfirmed, with one national team standing out as the leading candidate.

Back in November, The Athletic reported that the USMNT and Portugal were working to finalize a friendly during the March window at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. With Cristiano Ronaldo already set to return to North America, a showdown with another World Cup host makes sense, but both federations have yet to issue an official confirmation.