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Cristiano Ronaldo will be eligible to feature in Portugal’s opening fixtures at the 2026 World Cup after FIFA opted to partially suspend a three-match ban issued for his recent red card.
The 40-year-old was dismissed during Portugal’s 2–0 defeat to Ireland in Dublin earlier this month after striking Dara O’Shea in the back with his elbow — the first red card of his international career, coming in his 226th appearance. FIFA responded by imposing a three-game suspension, but confirmed on Tuesday that only one of those matches will count immediately, with the remaining two placed under a one-year probation.
Portugal have already served the active part of the ban during their qualification-clinching win over Armenia. In a statement to AFP, FIFA said the remaining suspension will only be enforced if Ronaldo commits a similar offence within the next 12 months. Should that happen, the two games will be applied “at the next official Portugal matches.”
Ronaldo, the leading goalscorer in men’s international football with 143 goals, is targeting his sixth World Cup, which will be staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer. Although he has never lifted the World Cup, he famously helped Portugal win the European Championship in 2016.
The forward, now playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, made headlines off the pitch last week when he attended a dinner at the White House, where he met US President Donald Trump, who revealed his son Barron is an admirer of the Portuguese star.
The draw for the 2026 World Cup group stage will take place on 5 December.
