The exposition made by the Portuguese Football Federation to FIFA arguing against a potential three-match for Cristiano Ronaldo, ruling him out of the Seleção’s opening matches of the 2026 World Cup, has been successful.
Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing Ireland defender Dara O’Shea in the back during Portugal’s 2-0 defeat in Dublin, an offence that normally carries a three-match ban.
The Portugal captain served the first match of the suspension by missing the last qualifier against Armenia, and today FIFA announced that the remaining two-match suspension has been put on hold.
The fact it was the first time Ronaldo has been sent off in 226 international matches no doubt weighed in the decision made by football’s world governing body.
FIFA statement:
“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. If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately at the next official match(es) of the Portuguese representative team.”
Ronaldo scored 5 goals in 5 matches as Portugal won Group F to qualify for their seventh consecutive World Cup.
The 48-team tournament will be hosted in USA, Mexico and Canada and Portugal will find out their group opponents when the draw takes place in little over a week on 5 December.
