Sofia Quijada
US soccer fans can watch Portugal vs Spain online — live, legally and with no cable subscription — as the two Iberian heavyweights collide in the standout tie of the World Cup 2026 Round of 16. Kickoff at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas is set for 3:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM CT / 12:00 PM PT on Monday, July 6, 2026 (2:00 PM local time in Arlington). If you’re wondering how to watch Portugal vs Spain in the United States, the easiest way to live stream the game is with a FuboTV free trial via the button below — it works on any device, from your smart TV to your phone.
Where to watch Portugal vs Spain live online in the US
FuboTV is the simplest way to live stream every game of the tournament in the United States, carrying all 104 World Cup matches through FOX, FS1 and Telemundo, plus more sports and entertainment channels. New subscribers can start a free trial, tune in to the Round of 16 action, and cancel any time within the trial window if the service isn’t for them. Fubo runs on all the devices you already own — Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast and mobile (iOS and Android) — and its unlimited Cloud DVR means you can record Portugal vs Spain and watch it back if a work day gets in the way of the afternoon kickoff. It’s a genuine no-cable option: you get the same live TV channels showing the match, streamed straight to your screen.
Portugal ahead of the match
Roberto Martinez’s side booked their place in the last 16 the hard way, surviving a mammoth scare to edge Croatia 2-1 in their opening knockout game. Goncalo Ramos and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo found the net for the Selecao either side of Ivan Perisic’s reply for Croatia, but the drama peaked late on when Josko Gvardiol thought he had forced extra time. The would-be leveller was chalked off after officials leaned on ball-sensor technology — the “snickometer” — to confirm a touch off Igor Matanovic while Mario Pasalic stood offside. Ronaldo, already withdrawn, could only watch on from the bench as Portugal held firm.
That win carried extra weight: Portugal came from behind to win a World Cup match for the first time since their famous 1966 comeback against DPR Korea. Even so, the last 16 has become a psychological hurdle — their runs in 2010 and 2018, plus their Euro 2020 campaign, all ended at exactly this stage, before back-to-back quarter-final exits at the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024. Portugal’s World Cup form reads D-W-D-W, and across all competitions they arrive in strong shape at W-W-D-W-D-W.
Team news is a boost for Martinez, who has a fully fit squad and is unlikely to tinker with a winning formula. Despite his frustration at being substituted against Croatia — moments after finally scoring his first-ever World Cup knockout goal — the 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo is expected to keep his place in the first XI. Ramos, the AC Milan new boy who averages a goal or assist every 37 minutes at the World Cup (the best ratio of any Portugal player with five or more involvements), looks set for another super-sub role. The one genuine selection debate sits on the right flank, where Pedro Neto must hold off Bernardo Silva and Francisco Conceicao.
Spain ahead of the match
Luis de la Fuente’s European champions arrive on the back of a far more comfortable evening, cruising past Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32. Two strikes from international mastermind Mikel Oyarzabal — now up to 23 goal involvements in his last 16 starts for La Roja — sandwiched a Pedro Porro header. Remarkably, it was Spain’s first knockout-stage World Cup win since Andres Iniesta sank the Netherlands in the 2010 final, and their first multi-goal World Cup knockout display since 1994.
Spain sit second in the World Ranking, are making their 16th World Cup appearance, and count a tournament triumph among their honours as former winners. What has caught the eye on this run, though, is the back line: on a three-game World Cup winning streak, they are one of only two sides yet to concede a single goal, alongside co-hosts Mexico. Against Austria they did not face a single shot on target — the first time that has happened in a World Cup knockout game since Argentina vs Germany in the 2014 final. Tactically, De la Fuente has moved Spain away from the old measured tiki-taka toward a vertical, intense, high-tempo game, built on a 4-3-3 that shifts to 4-2-3-1, with wide forwards stretching defences in quick transitions. Their World Cup form is D-W-W-W, and all-competitions form D-W-D-W-W-W.
On the team news front, Lamine Yamal, Porro, Dani Olmo and Aymeric Laporte did not train fully on Friday, though none is thought to be carrying a serious problem — their workloads are simply being managed. Yeremy Pino (shoulder) and Nico Williams (adductor) are the bigger doubts and are expected to miss the last-16 clash, without being ruled out of later rounds. Marcos Llorente is a ready-made alternative if De la Fuente opts not to risk Porro, but an unchanged Spain XI is anticipated.
Portugal vs Spain: preview and head-to-head
Neighbours, rivals and two of the most decorated nations left in the draw — this Iberian derby is the pick of the Round of 16. History favours Spain, who have lost just seven of their previous 41 meetings with Portugal, yet the most recent chapter went the other way: Portugal beat La Roja on penalties in the 2024-25 Nations League final.
The contrast in Arlington is compelling. Portugal bring a fully fit, star-studded attack and the motivation of finally breaking their last-16 hoodoo, while Spain lean on the meanest defence in the tournament and a sharp, vertical attacking plan that has yet to be truly tested. Something has to give when an in-form, clean-sheet machine meets a Selecao side that keeps finding a way through. Expect a tight, high-quality contest between two genuine contenders.
Portugal vs Spain: watch the World Cup 2026 online
Don’t miss one of the ties of the round. Portugal vs Spain kicks off at 3:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM CT / 12:00 PM PT on Monday, July 6, 2026 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. To live stream every minute in the United States with no cable, start your FuboTV free trial using the button above, watch on any device, and cancel any time within the trial window if you choose. It’s the easiest way to catch Portugal vs Spain online and follow the rest of the World Cup 2026 knockout rounds.
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