Which Teams Could Be the Dark Horses of the Primeira Liga?
After strong campaigns last season, Famalicão, Gil Vicente and Moreirense have reasons to believe they can challenge the established hierarchy in Portugal.
Outside Portugal’s traditional contenders, the 2026/27 Primeira Liga has several teams capable of disrupting the expected order. FC Porto, Sporting CP, Benfica and SC Braga begin with the greatest expectations, but Famalicão, Gil Vicente and Moreirense have enough recent evidence to enter the conversation as potential dark horses.
Famalicão — the strongest candidate
Famalicão has the clearest case. The club finished fifth in 2025/26 with 56 points, only three behind SC Braga, after collecting 15 wins in 34 matches. That was not a short run of form: Famalicão ended the campaign with just eight league defeats and conceded 29 goals, the fourth-best defensive record in the competition.
That consistency makes Famalicão a serious candidate to remain around the European places. Their new season began with a 1-1 draw away to Estoril, so there was no immediate statement victory, but the bigger argument is the platform created last year. After finishing above several traditionally ambitious clubs, repeating a top-six challenge would no longer qualify as a shock.
Gil Vicente — building on a top-six finish
Gil Vicente should also demand attention. The Barcelos side finished sixth last season with 50 points, recording 13 victories and scoring 47 goals. More importantly, they started 2026/27 with a 1-0 home win over Rio Ave, immediately collecting three points in the opening round.
For a club outside Portugal’s traditional powers, continuity after a strong campaign is often the real challenge. Gil Vicente now have the opportunity to prove that last season’s sixth place was not an isolated achievement. Another disciplined campaign could keep them in the fight for the positions immediately behind the leading clubs.
Moreirense — an early warning for Braga
Moreirense finished seventh in 2025/26, but their opening performance offered one of the most interesting signals of the new season. They drew 2-2 at home against SC Braga, with João Veloso scoring a stoppage-time equalizer.
Veloso is also one of the intriguing pieces in the squad. The midfielder joined Moreirense on loan from Benfica for the 2026/27 season, while the club also added young players such as Koby Mottoh and Brazilian goalkeeper Aranha as part of its recruitment strategy.
One match cannot define a season, but taking a point from Braga after falling behind showed Moreirense’s ability to compete with a team expected to challenge for European qualification.
The gap to Portugal’s big three remains substantial, and none of these clubs should be considered title contenders. The more realistic surprise would be breaking into the European race or challenging Braga for fourth. Based on last season and the opening weekend, Famalicão, Gil Vicente and Moreirense have the strongest arguments to do exactly that.
