Cristiano Ronaldo may be on his way back to the United States, and this time it won’t be for a holiday in Las Vegas.
According to reports (via The Athletic), the USMNT is in advanced talks to host Portugal in an exhibition game at an NFL-sized venue on the East Coast.
The potential clash is penciled in for March 2026, just a few months before the World Cup kicks off on American soil.
The U.S. will not need to qualify for the tournament as co-hosts, but preparation is a must. Coach Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear he wants his side to test themselves against teams from across the globe.
A friendly against Portugal, with Ronaldo still leading the line at 40, would certainly provide that challenge.
The last time Cristiano Ronaldo played a football match in the U.S.
Ronaldo has not played in the U.S. since 2014, when he appeared for Real Madrid in a friendly against Manchester United at Michigan Stadium in front of over 100,000 fans.
That same summer, he also lined up for Portugal against Ireland at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. His absence since then has been notable, with even preseason tours avoiding U.S. stops.
Now, fans may finally see him back. The talks, reportedly close to agreement, would bring Portugal and their five-time Ballon d’Or winner back stateside.
The match, however, is conditional. Portugal must qualify for the 2026 World Cup without a playoff, and Belgium — another team the USMNT hopes to face that month — faces the same requirement.
For Ronaldo, this would be more than a cameo. He remains a key figure for Portugal, scoring twice against Armenia in World Cup qualifying and helping his side win the Nations League this summer.
If the deal goes through, it will not just be a test for the USMNT. It will also be a reunion between Ronaldo and the American public, who, according to polls, know him almost as well as Lionel Messi.
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