Ricardo Velho

Cristiano Ronaldo’s boss Roberto Martinez breaks from FIFA norm: Why does Portugal’s 2026 World Cup squad have 27 players instead of 26?

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While the spotlight naturally fell on the 41-year-old captain, much of the discussion after the announcement centered around one unusual detail surrounding the national team selection. Cristiano Ronaldo is set for what is expected to be the final World Cup of his legendary career after Roberto Martinez unveiled Portugal’s squad for the 2026 tournament. Yet while the spotlight naturally fell on the 41-year-old captain, much of the discussion after the announcement centered around one unusual detail surrounding the national team selection. Portugal officially named a 27-player traveling group instead of the standard 26-man World Cup squad, immediately raising questions among supporters. The decision created intrigue ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, especially as the national team enters the competition among the favorites following its UEFA Nations League triumph. Ronaldo once again remains the central figure of the Portugal setup despite entering the final stage of his career. Along with Lionel Messi and Guillermo Ochoa, the Al-Nassr attacker will make history at this summer’s tournament by becoming one of the very few male players to feature in six consecutive tournaments. The Selecao captain will lead a squad packed with elite-level talent from across Europe’s biggest leagues. Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leao, Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Ruben Dias are all expected to play key roles as Martinez attempts to guide the national team toward its first World Cup triumph. Os convocados para o Mundial 2026 🫂🇵🇹#VaiDarPortugal | @FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/XonTsyxiBp— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) May 19, 2026 Portugal enters Group K alongside Colombia, Uzbekistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The campaign begins in Houston before later matches in Miami and additional fixtures across North America. Roberto Martinez explains unusual squad decision The biggest talking point from the announcement quickly became the squad size itself. FIFA regulations allow only 26 officially registered players, yet Martinez intentionally traveled with 27 players. In fact, the Selecao included fourth-choice goalkeeper Ricardo Velho as an additional traveling player for training support and emergency cover for injuries. Velho, who currently plays for Genclerbirligi Ankara, will stay with the squad throughout the tournament but cannot officially feature unless one of Portugal’s three registered goalkeepers suffers an injury. FIFA rules permit replacements in those circumstances, which opened the door for Martinez to make the unusual decision. “The complexity of the tournament is very important,” Martinez explained after unveiling the squad. “There are positions where we need to have more than two players per position.” The Portugal coach pointed toward travel demands, climate conditions, and scheduling difficulties as major concerns heading into the first 48-team World Cup in history. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Portugal (@portugal) Why Portugal believes extra depth matters The expanded format of the tournament has created new challenges for every national team involved. Long-distance travel between venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico means recovery and preparation could become just as important as tactics. Martinez has spent months studying those conditions and believes flexibility could become decisive later in the competition. Carrying an additional goalkeeper allows Portugal to maintain full-intensity training sessions without risking exhaustion or overworking the main three keepers. “The demands of the weather, the time zone, everything we already experienced in March,” Martinez said while discussing the squad structure.