SportsCatch
EN

Roberto Martinez to Leave Portugal After World Cup, Regardless of Outcome

On the eve of Portugal's World Cup 2026 opener against DR Congo, manager Roberto Martinez confirmed he will not renew his contract with the Portuguese Football Federation after the tournament concludes.

1 min read
Roberto Martinez to Leave Portugal After World Cup, Regardless of Outcome
Share

Roberto Martinez will no longer be Portugal’s manager after the 2026 World Cup. According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the 52-year-old Spanish coach has decided not to extend his contract with the Portuguese Football Federation, which expires at the end of the tournament — “regardless of the team’s performance”.

The announcement comes on the eve of the Seleção’s first match in the competition, scheduled for Wednesday against DR Congo. Martinez, appointed to lead the national team in January 2023, will therefore have one final mission: to deliver Portugal its first World Cup title, with Cristiano Ronaldo as the figurehead. He has already added a trophy to his record by winning the UEFA Nations League 2025.

Regarding the next chapter of his career, Martinez has left doors open. He would be receptive to a return to the Premier League, a championship he knows well having managed Wigan, Swansea and Everton. Taking charge of another national team is also among the options being considered.

The news places Portugal in an announced transition: the team will compete in the World Cup with the certainty that its manager will no longer be there at the final whistle of the tournament, regardless of results.

Share
{# Sitewide native fullscreen interstitial — our own bet-CTA card blown up to a takeover (replaces the SDK overlay). The shared card animations + countdown load once, AFTER the interstitial markup, so the countdown script's first tick sees this card's node too (the in-read card, in
above, already exists). One include covers both surfaces. #}