According to reports first published by Correio da Manhã, the deal includes 20 matches, among them all games involving the Portuguese national team.

Although the agreement has not yet been officially confirmed by either FIFA or the broadcasters, Portuguese media reports suggest negotiations have finally moved towards a positive outcome after weeks of uncertainty, according to SAPO.pt.

For many football fans, the main concern was that the World Cup could be limited to subscription channels and streaming services, making it inaccessible to some of the public. That discussion even led Portugal’s media regulator, ERC, to step in and highlight the importance of keeping major sporting events accessible to everyone.

The Portuguese Government had previously classified Portugal’s World Cup matches as events of “general public interest”, which under national law gives free-to-air broadcasters the right to negotiate access to the signal under fair market conditions.

Advertising and media industry representatives also noted that this year’s tournament reflects changing viewing habits, with both traditional television and digital platforms expected to play an important role in how audiences follow the competition.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on 11 June.