Ronaldo Plans U.S. Comeback Before the 2026 World Cup

According to The Athletic, the U.S. men’s national team is close to finalizing a friendly match against Portugal in March 2026. This game would mark Cristiano Ronaldo’s first appearance in the U.S. in nearly 12 years. An NFL-sized stadium on the East Coast is a likely venue, with Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium being a top contender.

Additionally, there is a plan for a match against Belgium during the same international window. Both games depend on Portugal and Belgium qualifying directly for the World Cup without going through European playoffs. Portugal is also expected to face Mexico at Azteca Stadium during this time.

Ronaldo’s last game in the U.S. was in August 2014, when he played for Real Madrid against Manchester United in Ann Arbor, drawing a crowd of over 109,000. Earlier that summer, he also played for Portugal in a friendly against Ireland at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Since that time, he has avoided competitive or preseason matches in the U.S. due to past controversies that he has consistently denied.

In late 2022, he had initial talks with Sporting Kansas City about a potential move to MLS before ultimately joining Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr. At 40, Ronaldo remains a key player for Portugal, having scored twice against Armenia in World Cup qualifying and also netting goals against Germany and Spain in Portugal’s Nations League victory earlier this summer.

For the USMNT, this friendly aligns with Mauricio Pochettino’s goal to prepare his team against strong opponents from outside CONCACAF ahead of 2026. Competing against Portugal and Ronaldo would provide significant competition and appeal to fans in the United States.