Ronaldo receives great news from the Portugal national team in the European competition

The draw results for the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 offer a major benefit to Portugal, opening the door for Cristiano Ronaldo to aim for his third national team title.

While top teams worldwide are fully focused on preparing for the 2026 World Cup, European football is also beginning to turn its attention to upcoming tournaments. One of these is the UEFA Nations League 2026/27,where Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portugal squad aim to defend the championship they won last season.

The UEFA national team competition will kick off in September 2026, coinciding with the first FIFA Days after the 2026 FIFA World Cup held in North America. The recent group stage draw brought favorable conditions for Portugal.

According to the draw, Portugal is considered one of the more manageable teams in League A, having avoided many top FIFA-ranked powerhouses such as Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, England, and Croatia. Instead, Ronaldo and his teammates are in Group A4 — the only group without any team ranked in FIFA’s top 13.

Specifically, Portugal will face Denmark (FIFA rank 21), Norway (32), and Wales (35) as they compete for the top two spots to advance to the quarterfinals.

Regarding the format, the UEFA Nations League includes all UEFA member associations, divided into four leagues based on recent performance and level. In League A (the highest tier), 16 teams are split into 4 groups of 4 teams each, playing home and away round-robin matches. After 6 matchdays, the top two teams from each group qualify for the quarterfinals. The tournament is expected to conclude in summer 2027.

League A groups include:

• Group A1: France, Italy, Belgium, Turkey

• Group A2: Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Greece

• Group A3: Spain, Croatia, England, Czech Republic

• Group A4: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Wales

A major question remains whether Cristiano Ronaldo will continue to participate in the 2026/27 Nations League. The Portuguese superstar has just turned 41 and is still expected to be a key figure at the 2026 World Cup. However, his future with the national team after that tournament remains uncertain.

Nonetheless, with the Nations League lasting only one year, it could serve as motivation for Ronaldo to keep contributing. If he plays, CR7 will aim for his third Nations League trophy, following his victories in the 2018/19 and 2024/25 seasons with Portugal.