Benfica learn path to defend Taca da Liga title

Benfica learned over the past few days their path to defending their Taca da Liga crown in the eight team competition that is set to kick off in October.

As the runner up in the Portuguese League last season, Benfica will face second division winners Tondela in the quarter-final stage, where the winners will move on to face either Braga or Santa Clara in the semi-finals.

The final four will once again take place in Leiria with the Finals set for January 10 2026.

The Quarter-Final matchups:

Benfica vs Tondela

Braga vs Santa Clara

FC Porto vs Guimaraes

Sporting vs Alverca 

Benfica schedule for the 2025-26 season released

The Portuguese League has released the schedule for the upcoming 2025-26 season yesterday and Benfica has learned their path to recapturing the league title once again.

Benfica will open the season at home against Rio Ave on the weekend of August 9-10, they will then travel to Amadora for their first road game the following weekend.

Benfica will face FC Porto in the Classico in Week 8 (October 4-5) when they travel to the Dragao with the return affair at the Luz taking place in Week 25 (March 7-8).

The Lisbon Derby with defending league champions Sporting will go in Week 13 (December 6-7) at the Luz and Week 30 (April 18-19) in Alvalade. 

Other notable games that the club will play during the 2025-26 season will be against Braga at home in Week 33 (May 9-10), while they travel to the Azores to take on Santa Clara in Week 22 (February 14-15) and Madeira to face Nacional in Week 12 (November 29-30). Benfica will wrap up their season against Estoril on the road in Week 34 (May 16-17). 

Game dates and times are yet to be confirmed and subject to change depending on the club's schedule and how they fair in certain competitions.

Click Here for Full Schedule 

Antonio Silva turns down Al-Hilal approach

Saudi club Al-Hilal is said to have made an approach for Benfica center back Antonio Silva and the offer was a lucrative €45M to acquire the players services but the Portuguese center back declined to make the move to Saudi Arabia as he felt it is too early in his career to change continents.

The 21 year old is once again on teams radars, after a strong performance at the Club World Cup, which Benfica were just eliminated from in the round of 16 a few days ago. Benfica is open to listening to offers for Silva who looks to have regained his confidence this season but the player would also have to agree to the potential destination.

Silva has been with Benfica since an early age, having come up through the club's famous Seixal academy. He got his big break with the club during the 2022-23 season when Benfica where hit with a rash of injuries to their back line and has never looked back.

Silva has appeared in 140 games with Benfica across all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing three helpers in those games. He was a key piece of Benfica's youth squad along with Tomas Araujo when they captured the 2021-22 UEFA Youth League title, snapping Benfica's run without a European trophy since the 60's.