Spain named Unai Simón in goal behind a back four of Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte and Cucurella, while Portugal lined up with Diogo Costa behind Cancelo, Dias, Veiga and Mendes, as the two sides met in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on 6 July. Spain won 1-0 thanks to a stoppage-time Mikel Merino goal, ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s last shot at World Cup glory.
If you’re after the confirmed Portugal national football team vs Spain national football team lineups from that match, plus two other fixtures UK fans have been searching for, Andorra vs England and Senegal vs Morocco, this covers all three, how to read a formation properly, and what it actually costs to watch these games live in the UK.
Portugal vs Spain: Full Confirmed Lineups
The match was played at Dallas Stadium on Monday 6 July 2026, kicking off at 19:00 UTC (14:00 local time). Roberto Martínez made just one change from Portugal’s previous match, bringing Joao Félix back into the side in place of Rafael Leão, while Luis de la Fuente kept the same Spain XI that had beaten Austria in the Round of 32.
Portugal’s Starting XI (4-2-3-1)
Diogo Costa started in goal, with João Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga and Nuno Mendes across the back four. João Neves and Vitinha sat in central midfield, with Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes and Joao Félix supporting Cristiano Ronaldo up front.
Spain’s Starting XI (4-2-3-1)
Unai Simón played behind Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella. Rodri and Pedri anchored midfield, while Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena played behind striker Mikel Oyarzabal. Substitute Mikel Merino, who came off the bench, scored the only goal of the game deep into stoppage time to send Spain through to the quarter-finals.
How to Read a Match Lineup and Formation
If you’re new to checking lineups, the numbers you see (like 4-2-3-1) describe how a team is set up from defence to attack, starting with the number of defenders, then midfielders, then attackers. A 4-2-3-1, used by both Portugal and Spain in this match, means four defenders, two holding midfielders, three attacking midfielders and one central striker.
Lineups are usually published in two stages. A “predicted lineup” is a journalist’s best guess, published a day or two before kickoff, and can change right up until kickoff. The “confirmed lineup” is only accurate once the team sheet is officially released, which for major internationals typically happens around an hour before the game. If you’re checking a lineup for betting, fantasy football or just to settle an argument, always check the timestamp and make sure you’re looking at the confirmed version, not a prediction.
Andorra vs England: Lineups from Their 2026 World Cup Qualifier
England travelled to the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona (Andorra’s regular home venue for major qualifiers) on Saturday 7 June 2025, winning 1-0 through a second-half Harry Kane goal, his 72nd for his country.
Thomas Tuchel’s England lined up as Jordan Pickford in goal, with Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn and a back line completed by attacking options through midfield: Jordan Henderson, Jude Bellingham, Curtis Jones, Morgan Rogers, Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer, with Kane as captain and lone striker. Andorra set up defensively under Koldo Álvarez, with Iker Álvarez in goal behind a back five, managing just one shot on target across the whole match.
The two sides met again on 6 September 2025 at Villa Park, where England won 2-0 (an early own goal from Christian García and a second-half strike from Declan Rice), with Tuchel making wholesale changes to the starting XI compared to the away fixture.
Senegal vs Morocco: Lineups from the AFCON 2025 Final
Senegal beat hosts Morocco 1-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Sunday 18 January 2026, with Idrissa Gana Gueye scoring deep into extra time to secure Senegal’s second AFCON title.
It lined up in a 4-3-3 with Édouard Mendy in goal, Antoine Mendy, Mamadou Sarr, Moussa Niakhaté and Malick Diouf across the back, Lamine Camara, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Pape Gueye in midfield, and Iliman Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson and captain Sadio Mané leading the attack. Morocco, also in a 4-3-3, started Yassine Bounou in goal behind Achraf Hakimi, Nayef Aguerd, Adam Masina and Noussair Mazraoui, with Bilal El Khannouss, Neil El Aynaoui and Ismael Saibari in midfield, and Brahim Díaz, Ismael Saibari and Ayoub El Kaabi providing the attacking threat.
It capped a tournament in which Morocco, ranked as pre-tournament favourites on home soil, conceded just one goal in the entire competition before falling to Senegal’s late winner in front of their own supporters.
What It Costs to Watch These Fixtures in the UK
The good news for UK football fans is that none of these three fixtures required a paid subscription to watch live.
The FIFA World Cup 2026, including Portugal vs Spain, is being shown free-to-air in the UK, shared between the BBC and ITV, who split the tournament’s 104 matches roughly evenly across BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, ITV4, BBC iPlayer and ITVX. The only cost involved is a valid UK TV licence, which costs £169.50 a year per household, according to GOV.UK.
England’s World Cup qualifiers, including both fixtures against Andorra, sit under ITV’s rights deal for England men’s matches, so they were shown free on ITV1, STV in Scotland, and streamed via ITVX and the STV Player, again with no extra subscription required beyond a TV licence.
The Africa Cup of Nations 2025, including the Senegal vs Morocco final, was shown entirely free-to-air in the UK by Channel 4, marking the first time the tournament has been available in full without a Sky Sports subscription. Coverage was spread across Channel 4, E4, 4Seven and the Channel 4 streaming service.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Checking Lineups
The most common mistake is treating a predicted lineup as fact. Outlets often publish their best guess a day or two out, and team news can change right up to kickoff through injuries, tactical switches or a manager simply changing his mind, so always look for the word “confirmed” and a timestamp close to kickoff.
Timezone confusion catches out UK fans regularly, particularly with World Cup fixtures played in North America. Portugal vs Spain kicked off at 19:00 UTC, which was 20:00 BST in the UK, a full six hours ahead of the 14:00 local kickoff time in Dallas. Always convert to UK time from the official kickoff time listed by the tournament organiser, rather than assuming a site’s default time zone matches yours.
Finally, don’t assume a lineup published mid-match is final. Substitutions, particularly impact ones like Mikel Merino’s introduction against Portugal, can completely change the outcome, so a lineup graphic from kickoff won’t tell you who actually scored or who finished the game on the pitch.
FAQS
What was the final score in Portugal vs Spain at the 2026 World Cup?
Spain won 1-0 in the Round of 16 at Dallas Stadium on 6 July 2026, with substitute Mikel Merino scoring the only goal in stoppage time. The result ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s involvement in what was likely his final World Cup.
Who started for Portugal against Spain in the 2026 World Cup?
Portugal lined up in a 4-2-3-1: Diogo Costa in goal, Cancelo, Dias, Veiga and Mendes in defence, Neves and Vitinha in midfield, and Neto, Fernandes and Félix supporting Cristiano Ronaldo up front. Roberto Martínez made just one change from the previous round.
Who started for Spain against Portugal in the 2026 World Cup?
Spain also used a 4-2-3-1: Unai Simón in goal, Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte and Cucurella in defence, Rodri and Pedri in midfield, and Yamal, Olmo and Baena supporting striker Mikel Oyarzabal. Luis de la Fuente kept the same XI that beat Austria in the previous round.
What happened when England played Andorra in World Cup qualifying?
England won both fixtures without conceding a goal, 1-0 away in Barcelona on 7 June 2025 through a Harry Kane goal, and 2-0 at home at Villa Park on 6 September 2025. Andorra failed to register a shot on target in either match.
Who won the Senegal vs Morocco AFCON 2025 final?
Senegal beat hosts Morocco 1-0 in Rabat on 18 January 2026, with Idrissa Gana Gueye scoring in the 94th minute to win Senegal their second Africa Cup of Nations title.
Where can I watch these matches in the UK for free?
World Cup 2026 matches are shown free-to-air on the BBC and ITV, England qualifiers air on ITV1 and ITVX, and the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 was shown in full on Channel 4. None require a paid sports subscription, though a UK TV licence is needed to watch live broadcasts.
What’s the difference between a predicted and a confirmed lineup?
A predicted lineup is a journalist’s estimate published before the team sheet is released, while a confirmed lineup comes directly from the club or federation, usually around an hour before kickoff. Only treat a lineup as reliable once it’s explicitly labelled as confirmed.
Why do football lineups use numbers like 4-2-3-1?
The numbers describe a team’s formation from defence to attack: in a 4-2-3-1, that’s four defenders, two holding midfielders, three attacking midfielders and one striker. Both Portugal and Spain used this exact formation in their World Cup 2026 meeting.
