Today, Texas takes center stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Portugal takes on Congo in Houston at noon, then Croatia plays England in a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinals at 3 p.m.

Teams and Matches

The Portugal squad featuring star forward Cristiano Ronaldo is among the favorites to win the expanded 48-team tournament and hoist its first World Cup trophy. Still, the team carries the memory of a beloved teammate into the tournament. Portugal is based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, for training.

Congo, which is based in Houston for training, was forced to change its World Cup preparations due to an Ebola outbreak in the country last month. U.S. health officials imposed travel restrictions that forced the Congolese soccer team to cancel its buildup events so the team could train in Belgium.

Croatia’s squad features FC Dallas striker Petar Musa and Croatian legend Luka Modric, who helped lead them to back-to-back World Cup semifinals. England is currently ranked fourth in the world after France and Spain’s first group stage games.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.