Benfica faces Porto in opening roller‑hockey classic as season kicks off

Defending national champion Benfica will open the 2025‑26 Portuguese roller‑hockey league with an away match against FC Porto on 8 November, as dictated by the regular‑season draw. The same draw also scheduled a first‑city derby against Sporting CP at the Pavilhão João Rocha on 21 November, marking the season’s inaugural Lisbon derby.

Benfica’s roller‑hockey coordinator João Guimarães Rodrigues said the team aims to defend its title and become back‑to‑back champions, noting, “We want to renew the national champion title and being bicampeões is one of our main objectives.” Sporting’s coordinator Pedro Gil stressed a more cautious approach, focusing on the immediate Elite Cup and Supertaça trophies before looking ahead to the season’s challenges. Both clubs will also meet later in the schedule, with Sporting set to host newly promoted Candelária later in the campaign.

The fixtures place Benfica against the second‑ and third‑placed teams from the previous season, promising a demanding start for the defending champions.