With just a week remaining until the FIFA World Cup gets underway, delegations from several participating nations have already begun arriving at their designated base camps across the United States.
Defending champions Lionel Messi-led Argentina squad touched down on May 31, 2026, while teams including Brazil, Norway, Switzerland and Australia have also arrived this week as preparations enter their final phase.
However, among the major teams still yet to arrive in the United States, Portugal remains one of the notable absentees, with the squad still awaiting its arrival ahead of the tournament.
In a surprising development, Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates are reportedly scheduled to arrive in the host nation only a day after the World Cup officially gets underway.
Portugal's late arrival plan explained
The national team heads into the tournament carrying high expectations, but its late arrival schedule has sparked questions about the timing of its preparations and the strategy behind delaying its entry into the host country.
However, the decision is reportedly driven by Portugal's later group-stage opener and a desire to maximize preparation time on home soil.
Late friendlies and home base are key factors
The Seleção will first take on Chile on Saturday, June 6, in the city of Oeiras. They will then face Nigeria on June 10, just one day before the World Cup begins. That match will also be held in Portugal, with Leiria serving as the host city.
The delayed arrival approach allows the squad to stay together in Europe for longer, minimizing travel-related disruptions while maintaining continuity in training.
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Moreover, with their final friendly scheduled just 24 hours before the World Cup kicks off, it becomes more practical for Portugal to delay its travel plans, allowing the squad time to recover and rest after the match before making the journey to the United States.
Portugal's base camp and match schedule
Once based in Florida, the team will turn its full attention to its Group K campaign.
Roberto Martínez's squad has been assigned to Gardens North County District Park as its official training base camp in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
They begin their World Cup journey against DR Congo in Houston on June 17, followed by a clash with Uzbekistan on June 23, before wrapping up the group stage against Colombia in Miami on June 27.
The late arrival should not necessarily be viewed as a cause for concern, as it appears to be part of a carefully planned strategy.
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Portugal is not alone in adopting this approach, with Kylian Mbappé's France also reportedly set to arrive in the host nation just a day before the World Cup begins.
