Cristiano Ronaldo at Risk of Suspension for the 2026 World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo could miss the first match of the 2026 World Cup after receiving the first red card of his international career. The expulsion occurred during the match in which Portugal was defeated 2-0 by the Republic of Ireland. The incident occurred in the 61st minute, when Ronaldo was sanctioned for violent conduct after elbowing Irish defender Dara O’Shea. After an initial yellow card, the referee reviewed the play on the monitor and changed the decision to a red card. This was Ronaldo’s first expulsion with the Portuguese national team in his 226 appearances, a record in men’s international football. At club level, he has been sent off 13 times.The Al Nassr striker will have to serve a mandatory one-match suspension, imposed by any red card, when Portugal hosts Armenia on Sunday. A victory would secure their place in the World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. FIFA’s disciplinary rules require a suspension of “at least two matches for serious foul play”. The sanction should be “at least three matches for violent conduct” or “at least three matches or an appropriate period of time for assault, including the use of the elbow”. A FIFA suspension would apply to official matches and could not be enforced in pre-tournament exhibitions. FIFA usually takes three weeks after the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches to publish a global list of disciplinary verdicts, including red cards and incidents such as public disturbances. However, FIFA now has less time pressure to process the cases, as there are no World Cup play-off matches until March, but there is great interest in Ronaldo’s outcome. FIFA declined on Friday to suggest a timeline for the case.
Martínez added that the action seemed worse than it actually was and that he didn’t believe it was an elbow, but rather a full-body movement. Portugal, despite the defeat, continues to lead Hungary’s team by two points in Group F, which means that a victory against Armenia will be enough for Ronaldo to reach his sixth World Cup. Before the match, the Portugal captain had promised to be a “good boy” in the face of the expected hostility at the Aviva Stadium. In the return match, Ronaldo celebrated Rúben Neves’ goal in the face of Irish defender Jake O’Brien. Irish fans accused the Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus star of unduly influencing the referee on that occasion. Before the second leg, the Icelandic coach Heimir Hallgrimsson had urged Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg not to allow Ronaldo to referee the match. Ronaldo applauded and raised two thumbs in an apparently sarcastic gesture while being booed by Irish fans after his expulsion on Thursday. He spoke to Hallgrimsson incisively as he headed off the field and, after asking him what he had said, Hallgrimsson revealed: “He congratulated me for pressuring the referee.” “It was his action on the field that cost him the red card. It had nothing to do with me, unless I got into his head.” When asked if he had spoken to Ronaldo after the final whistle, Hallgrimsson added: “No, I think we spoke enough when he left.” “There was nothing to talk about. This was just a moment of silliness on their part, I would say.”The red card is for a captain who has never been sent off in 226 matches, I think that deserves credit, and today it seemed a bit harsh to me because he cares about the team.
Roberto Martínez, Portugal coach
