Cristiano Ronaldo, a world football star, will avoid missing important matches in the 2026 World Cup, despite the red card received during a qualifying match.
FIFA issued a disciplinary verdict imposing a three-match ban. Ronaldo’s action was considered “violent conduct.” However, two of those matches were deferred during a one-year probationary period.
Ronaldo served a mandatory one-match suspension when Portugal played their last qualifying match last week, securing their place in the World Cup to be held in North America.
The superstar was expected to be suspended for at least one more game, which would have forced him to watch the start of his sixth World Cup from the bench.
FIFA cited its disciplinary rules that allow parts of a sanction to be probationary, although it is rare in cases of a three-match suspension that two of them are deferred.
In two cases judged by FIFA this month, players from Armenia and Burundi were suspended for three matches after receiving red cards for acts of aggression in World Cup qualifying matches and neither obtained a reduction in probation.Cristiano Ronaldo can play in the first match of the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA reported that, “if Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infraction of a similar nature and severity during the probationary period, the remaining two matches will be activated”.
FIFA has disciplinary authority over national team matches and Portugal is scheduled to play two friendly matches in March, and then probably one or two preparation matches in late May or June. The World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, begins on June 11.
Ronaldo elbowed Ireland defender Dara O’Shea during the 2-0 defeat in Dublin two weeks ago.
It was Ronaldo’s first red card in his 226th international appearance, a record. He has been sent off 13 times at club level.
FIFA announced that the disciplinary verdict of “the suspension of three matches is subject to appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee”.
It was unclear who could have standing to challenge the verdict, and whether it could be the Football Association of Ireland or Portugal’s opponents in the World Cup.
The FIFA verdict comes six days after Ronaldo met with US President Donald Trump at the White House for a formal dinner with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Ronaldo has played in the Saudi Pro League for three years for a club largely owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth that the prince chairs.
