<p>Portugal will begin their quest to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday (02:00 AEST) when they take on Armenia.</p> <p>The two nations are part of Group F, with Hungary and the Republic of Ireland taking the two remaining spots. Portugal should be guaranteed a place in the playoffs at the very least, but Roberto Martinez’s side will want to qualify automatically.&nbsp;</p> <p>Still, nothing is assured in soccer. So can Armenia put up an early challenge when they meet in the Eastern European country?</p> <h2>Armenia vs Portugal Betting Preview</h2> <p>Let’s face it, nobody is expecting Armenia to put in a significant challenge against Portugal on Sunday. Martinez has a squad of superstars, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Bernando Silva, Pedro Neto, and João Félix just a few of the names in attack.</p> <p>It will be an emotional game for the Seleção das Quinas, as they will be without Diogo Jota for the first time since his tragic death after helping them to UEFA Nations League success.</p> <p>Armenia will have a number of quality players in their own right, although they are far from the level of the Portuguese stars. Still, players like Eduard Spertsyan, Tigran Barseghyan, Lucas Zelarayán, Vahan Bichakhchyan and Grant-Leon Ranos all offer an attacking threat.</p> <p>Nonetheless, the head-to-head doesn’t make for positive reading for the hosts. There have only been six meetings between the two countries, and Portugal remains undefeated. They’ve won four of those, including the last three consecutive meetings. Still, there has been more than a decade since they last took place.</p> <p>Portugal have scored nine goals and conceded four in these meetings, with the latest being a 3-2 victory in 2015 when Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick.</p> <h2>Armenia vs Portugal Betting Predictions</h2> <p>The latest <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-qualifiers-europe/armenia-v-portugal-9506516">Armenia vs Portugal betting odds</a> have the visitors as a huge favourite heading into the game, backing the idea that nobody really believes the hosts will have a chance.</p> <p>Still, bettors can find value across many markets at Sportsbet, with many options to consider.</p> <p>We like the ‘Yes’ for ‘Both Teams To Score’ market, as both teams have attacking threats that can be potent. With that in mind, it’s worth considering that Portugal sometimes win "nervy" one-goal games against underdogs. This means there may be value in backing the ‘Over 2.5 goals’ market and the ‘Correct Score’ of ‘Portugal 2-1’.</p> <p>However, while there could be a few goals scored, it’s likely the majority will be in the second half. The ‘1st Half Under 1.5 Goals’ presents value if you want to bet on this market.</p> <p>With Armenia potentially scoring, backing Eduard Spertsyan to ‘Score or Assist’ offers betting value. The midfielder is their main creative source and goal threat and will likely play an influential role in trying to keep his country in the tie.</p>