Portugal has named Chelsea winger Pedro Neto, 26, in its provisional squad for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the first time the player will travel to football’s biggest tournament.
Neto’s selection caps a season in which he made 50 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, scoring ten goals and producing his first senior hat-trick in the club’s FA Cup victory over Hull City. The winger has 23 caps for Portugal, played at the 2024 European Championship and was part of the squad that won the 2025 Nations League Finals against Spain.
The inclusion of Neto and the presence of other recent Chelsea names such as Renato Veiga and Joao Felix underline the club’s contribution to Portugal’s attacking options ahead of this summer’s finals. Cristiano Ronaldo was also named by manager Roberto Martinez and is set to appear at a record-breaking sixth World Cup, a milestone that follows his long international career.
Martinez framed the selection with a sense of purpose. He stressed that losing Diogo had been an unforgettable and very difficult moment, and said the squad answered by committing to fight for Diogo’s dream and for the example he set in the national team. Martinez added that Diogo Jota’s spirit and strength remain an ever-present plus for the group.
Portugal’s list was announced as a 27-player group plus one, a provisional configuration that must be trimmed to the tournament limit. Tournament rules require a final 26-man roster, and the federation has confirmed one goalkeeper will be omitted before the final deadline to ensure compliance. That decision will shape the balance of the final squad and will be watched closely by coaches and supporters.
Before Portugal open their campaign against DR Congo in Houston on 17 June, the squad will play a series of warm-ups, including friendlies against Chile and Nigeria and an additional match against Uzbekistan in Houston. Portugal then conclude Group K in Miami against Colombia. Those fixtures will be the final practical tests for Neto and others pushing for minutes at the World Cup.
For Neto, the call-up completes a steady rise. He arrives in North America having been a near-constant figure for Chelsea this season, and with the confidence that comes from domestic form and a Nations League winner’s medal. His first World Cup will also test whether the trust placed in him by Martinez translates into a role on the field when the tournament begins.
The provisional nature of the announcement leaves two clear storylines heading into June: whether the coaching staff stick with the full attacking complement that includes several Chelsea-linked players, and which goalkeeper will be sacrificed to meet the 26-player limit. How Martinez resolves those choices will determine how much of a part Neto and his Chelsea teammates play once the group stage starts in mid-June.
Whatever the final 26 look like, Neto’s selection is a concrete signal that Portugal value the form he has shown this season and that Chelsea will be represented on the world stage this summer — a fact that will matter to supporters tracking the chelsea players world cup 2026 list as the teams travel to the United States, Mexico and Canada.
