Mourinho's hiring comes after the club announced in the early hours of Wednesday the departure of coach Bruno Lage, and Benfica informed the Securities Market Commission (CMVM) that, 10 days after the last game of the 2025/26 season, both the club and the coach can terminate the contract.

Mourinho returns to Luz 25 years after his debut as head coach of the Eagles in the 2000/01 season, then under the presidency of João Vale e Azevedo, but would leave three months later, in December, with Manuel Vilarinho as president.