liveUpdated 6m agoFollow live as Cristiano Ronaldo’s team begins its 2026 World Cup journey in Group K.The Athletic Live TeamJune 17, 2026 at 8:30 AM EDTCristiano Ronaldo is set to become one of the first players to feature in six different World Cups today. GettyPortugal vs DR Congo — LatestCristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Portugal begin their 2026 World Cup against DR Congo in Houston, Texas today.If Ronaldo starts as expected, he will have appeared at a record sixth men’s World CupMeanwhile, DR Congo were one of the last teams to qualify after making it through the inter-confederation play-off.Kick-off: 1pm ET, 10am PTWatch: FOX, Fubo (try for free)Join our matchday discussion and email: live@theathletic.com.Sign up to our World Cup Briefing Getty ImagesWant an update of everything going on at the 2026 World Cup dropped into your boxing every morning?Sign up here to The Athletic’s World Cup Briefing so that you don’t miss a thing.Our venue: Houston Stadium Getty ImagesAnother NFL stadium being used at this World Cup is Houston’s NRG Stadium — officially called Houston Stadium for FIFA purposes — which opened in 2002 and has a capacity of a little more than 72,000. Home to the Houston Texans since the team’s founding that same year, the stadium has also been a regular host of international soccer matches. Its most famous moment came in American football though, when it hosted Tom Brady and the New England Patriots’ now legendary comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI in 2017.Its retractable roof and indoor air conditioning could be a handy feature in the heat and as the fourth-most populous city in the United States, there should be a big base of fans to target for good attendances.Especially with a draw like today with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in town!Join The Athletic’s WhatsApp channelWant to keep up to date with the latest World Cup news, right in your pocket?Join our World Cup WhatsApp channel for every story that matters from breaking news to in-depth analysis.You can sign up to the channel here.Get involved in the chat! The AthleticWe’re here to give you all the insights, context and analysis you could ever wish for from every World Cup match — and we want you to share your thoughts too.Which player is your tip to shine at the tournament? Have you got an issue with a team you think is horribly overrated? And who is going to shine in Houston today?It’s super easy to share your views. You can head to the Discuss tab at the top of this feed, or you can send us an email — the address is: live@theathletic.com We can’t wait to hear what you’ve got for us all.How to watch today’s match Getty ImagesToday’s match can be seen in the U.S. on FOX for English-language coverage and Telemundo for Spanish-language coverage, as well as on BBC1 in the UK.You can tune in via SBS in Australia, TSN in Canada, SuperSport in DR Congo and Sport TV in Portugal.What time does the action get underway? Getty ImagesKick-off for this match is at 1pm ET for those in the United States on the east coast, while for those out west it will be 10am PT.If you are watching live in Houston or in Mexico City, kick-off is at 11am CT, while in the UK it’s at 6pm.Welcome to our live World Cup coverage! Getty ImagesHello and welcome along to The Athletic’s coverage of the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup.Players, fans and officials from around the globe have descended on this year’s co-hosts — Canada, the U.S. and Mexico — in the hope of leaving with the ultimate prize: being crowned world champions.Today’s match takes us to Group K and a contest between Portugal and DR Congo in Houston, Texas. We can’t wait. So stick around for all the latest team news, analysis, play-by-play action and more, right here.