Nations Cup 2026 round four preview: Portugal v Chile

Venue: Estadio do Restelo, Lisbon
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)

Pau centre Rodrigo Marta, who is the Top 14’s second-top try-scorer, and winger Manuel Cardoso Pinto earn their 50th caps for Portugal, who have not included any new faces in their line-up.

Marta and flanker David Wallis are making their first appearances in the Nations Cup while José Madeira captains the side and Diogo Hasse Ferreira has been named among Portugal’s replacements as he makes his comeback from a lengthy injury.

Chile will be captained by centre Santiago Videla and hand debuts to Felipe Méndez and Benjamín Moreno, with the former starting on the wing and the latter named on the bench.

Portugal have won all four previous encounters with Chile, overturning half-time deficits in three of those victories. This is their first meeting since 2019 when Os Lobos ran out 23-18 winners in Santiago.

The only previous encounter between the sides in Portugal came in 2005 when the hosts ran out 31-18 victors in Lisbon, scoring five tries and preventing their visitors from crossing the whitewash.

Portugal have won nine of their last 10 matches in all competitions, only losing to the USA in that run (30-29), and they’ve won their last four on home soil, accruing 161 points and conceding just 53.

They are handily placed in second on 12 points – two points behind Georgia and prolific winger Cardoso Pinto has notched an impressive five tries so far.