Porto’s first Club World Cup campaign in over 20 years begins against Brazilian outfit Palmeiras on Sunday night.
Porto prevailed in the 2004 Intercontinental Cup final after claiming UEFA Champions League glory under José Mourinho in Gelsenkirchen. The great Portuguese club haven’t come particularly close to claiming a second European title in the aftermath, but their steady performances in recent years saw them qualify for FIFA’s revamped Club World Cup via the ranking pathway.
Young Argentine coach Martín Anselmi is the man at the helm in Porto, taking the job on in January, but his side finished comfortably behind the two Lisbon clubs in the Primeira Liga title race.
Still, they’re the favorites to win a balanced Group A that also contains Inter Miami. However, Palmeiras will fancy their chances of pipping the MLS club to the knockouts.
The three-time Copa Libertadores champions have had a mixed start to their 2025 season domestically and may struggle to compete against UEFA’s competing members this summer.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to this Club World Cup clash.
What Time Does Palmeiras vs. Porto Kick-Off?
- Location: East Rutherford, United States
- Stadium: MetLife Stadium
- Date: Sunday, 15 June
- Kick-off Time: 11 p.m. BST / 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
- Referee: Hector Martinez
Palmeiras vs. Porto Head-to-Head Record
This is the first competitive meeting between Palmeiras and Porto.
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch Palmeiras vs. Porto on TV
Watch the FIFA Club World Cup live and on-demand here
Palmeiras Team News
There will be plenty of eyes on Estêvão Willian at this summer’s tournament, with the highly-regarded teenager joining Chelsea ahead of the 2025–26 season. The Brazilian has garnered a lot of buzz in his homeland, and he’ll be keen to showcase his very best in the United States.
The Palmeiras squad was also bolstered by club-record signing Vitor Roque earlier this year after he struggled to assert himself at Barcelona. The young striker has struggled for form since returning to Brazil, but like Estêvão, he’ll want to impress at the Club World Cup.
Richard Ríos is a name to keep an eye on in midfield, while former West Ham United and Lazio winger Felipe Anderson could start in attack.
Palmeiras Predicted Lineup vs. Porto
Palmeiras predicted lineup vs. Porto (4-2-3-1): Wéverton; Giay, Fuchs, Micael, Piquerez; Ríos, Martínez; Estêvão, Veiga, Anderson; Roque
Porto Team News
Anselmi has opted for a huge 34-man squad for the tournament, but the Argentine hasn’t been able to call upon midfielder Marko Grujic due to a hamstring injury. Vasco Sousa also misses out with a significant leg injury.
Portugal’s number one Diogo Costa will start between the sticks for Porto, while Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira will also feature.
Leading scorer Samu Aghehowa will lead the Primeira Liga side’s line on Sunday. Only Viktor Gyökeres scored more goals in Portugal than the 21-year-old Spaniard in 2024–25.
Porto Predicted Lineup vs. Palmeiras
Porto predicted lineup vs. Palmeiras (3-4-3): Costa; Fernandes, Pedro, Marcano; Mário, Varela, Mora, Moura; Vieira, Samu, Pepê
Palmeiras vs. Porto Score Prediction
While many expect the European sides to dominate in the U.S. this summer, this has the makings of a competitive fixture.
Porto undeniably boast superior quality across the board against a Palmeiras side that have endured a mixed start to the domestic season but shone in the Libertadores. The Brazilians have a couple of starlets who could flicker at the tournament, and you’ve got to think that this occasion means more to them—even if Porto haven’t been on this stage in quite some time.
This should be a tight one, but we’ll back Porto to just edge it.
Prediction: Palmeiras 1–2 Porto
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Palmeiras vs. Porto: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
