Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo will be eligible to play in the opening matches of the 2026 World Cup after FIFA issued a partially “suspended” ban following his red card in November.
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The 40-year-old forward was sent off during Portugal’s 2-0 defeat in Dublin after elbowing Dara O’Shea—his first dismissal in 226 international appearances. Initially handed a three-match ban, FIFA confirmed on Tuesday that two of the matches would be suspended, with the remaining one already served during Portugal’s decisive win over Armenia, which secured their qualification for next summer’s tournament.
“In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the serving of the two remaining matches has been suspended under a one-year probation period,” FIFA stated. The ruling also stipulates that if Ronaldo commits a similar offense during this period, the suspension will be enforced immediately at Portugal’s next official matches.
Ronaldo, the men’s all-time top international goalscorer with 143 goals, is aiming to feature at his sixth World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Despite his illustrious career—including stints at Manchester United, Real Madrid, and currently Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia—Ronaldo has yet to lift a World Cup trophy, though he did win Euro 2016 with Portugal.
The forward recently attended a White House dinner, where he met U.S. President Donald Trump, who mentioned that his son Barron is “a big fan” of Ronaldo. The World Cup group stage draw is scheduled for December 5.
