Porto’s European season started about as badly as it could have. Man City came to the Dragão on 8 September and won 2-0, Haaland scoring right after half-time and then again deep into stoppage time. Porto didn’t get a single shot on target. That hadn’t happened to them in a Champions League game since 2017.
Down in Lisbon a night later it was a different story. Sporting were behind to Galatasaray within five minutes, off a deflected Torreira strike of all things, but they turned it around and won 3-1.
Three points for one, nothing for the other. And there are still six Champions League games to be played in Portugal before February, three in Porto and three in Lisbon. If you fancy going to one, here’s the rundown.
How it works this year
Portugal only has two clubs in the league phase: Porto and Sporting. There are 36 teams in total and everybody plays eight games, four at home and four away, against eight different sides. Finish in the top eight and you skip straight to the last 16. Anywhere between 9th and 24th means a play-off. Lower than that and you’re done.
Four home games isn’t a lot. Lose one and it hurts, which Porto have already found out.
Porto and the Dragão
FC Porto play at the Estádio do Dragão, on the east side of the city. It went up for Euro 2004, holds a bit over 50,000 people, and in 2021 it was where Chelsea beat City in the Champions League final.
The thing people mention most is how easy it is to reach. The metro stops right at the ground and the violet line runs there from the airport, no change needed. Land in the afternoon and you’ll be there hours before kick-off.
Porto’s ultras sit behind both goals, north and south, and that’s where the noise comes from. Away supporters are put in a corner of the upper East Stand. Great view, but don’t expect to hear your mates.
Porto go to Seville to play Real Betis on 14 October. After that they have PSV at home on 20 October and Napoli at home on 4 November.
Everyone will want to see Napoli. But PSV is the bigger game for Porto. Both clubs look likely to be fighting over the same play-off spots, and losing to them at home would be bad news with Feyenoord away on 24 November and Liverpool at Anfield on 9 December straight after.
Their last two games are Slavia Praha at home on 19 January and LASK away in Austria on 27 January. Three home wins and Porto are probably fine. Drop points to PSV and suddenly that Slavia night in January is massive.
Kick-off for the home games is 9pm CET, so 8pm in Porto.
Sporting and Alvalade
Sporting’s home is the Estádio José Alvalade, in the north of Lisbon. It’s another one built for Euro 2004, and it staged the 2005 UEFA Cup final.
In 2025 the club finally got rid of the moat that ran around the pitch. The stands are closer to the action now and capacity is up to 52,707. It’s steep and closed in, and on a big night it’s loud.
You barely need directions. Campo Grande metro, green and yellow lines, is right outside, and the airport is only about 4km away. Sporting’s hardcore fans are behind the south goal. Away fans normally get the northwest corner, and extra sections open up next to it when a big away crowd is coming.
Sporting’s next games are Lens away on 13 October, LASK at home on 21 October and Shakhtar Donetsk away on 3 November.
Then it gets heavy. Manchester United come to Lisbon on 25 November. Sporting play Roma away on 8 December and Barcelona at home on 20 January. Their last league phase game is away at Man City on 27 January. Not exactly a gentle finish.
Home games kick off at 9pm CET, 8pm Lisbon time.
United and Barça are the ones everyone will want tickets for. The game Sporting really need to win, though, is LASK. Take all three points there and they’ll have at least six going into that tough run.
If I had to pick one
Sporting v Barcelona in January. It’s late in the league phase, both teams should have plenty to play for, and Alvalade on a night like that is hard to beat. United in November comes a close second, mainly because of the big English away end.
Want something easier to get a ticket for? Try Porto against PSV or Slavia, or Sporting against LASK. As for the trip itself, Lisbon is bigger and busier, and Porto is smaller and nicer on foot. Honestly, either works.
Where things stand
Sporting are off to a good start. Porto aren’t in trouble yet, but PSV on 20 October already feels like a big night.
Which of the six would you go to?
You can follow the table, fixtures and results through the rest of the league phase on footgoal’s Champions League 2026/27 Fixtures
