Cristiano Ronaldo will not miss the start of Portugal’s 2026 World Cup campaign despite receiving a red card in a recent qualifier against the Republic of Ireland. FIFA’s disciplinary committee handed him a three-match suspension but placed two of those matches on a one-year probation, meaning they will only take effect if he commits a similar offense within that period. Ronaldo has already served a one-match suspension in Portugal’s final qualifier against Armenia.
The sending-off followed an incident in which Ronaldo appeared to swing an elbow at Ireland defender Dara O’Shea. FIFA said the suspended portion of the ban will be revoked and enforced immediately if Ronaldo repeats an infringement of comparable nature and seriousness during the probation year. The committee’s decision can be appealed to the FIFA Appeal Committee.
The ruling comes shortly after Ronaldo attended a Washington black-tie event with US President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Sky Sports News chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol noted that, under normal interpretation of the rules, Ronaldo would likely miss Portugal’s first two World Cup games. Critics say the star may be receiving preferential treatment because of his profile; others point out distinctions between serious foul play and violent conduct when deciding ban lengths. Observers also emphasised that this was Ronaldo’s first red card in 226 international appearances.
When is the 2026 World Cup draw?
The draw will be held in Washington on December 5 at 17:00 UK time (12:00 local). Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino will take part in the ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center. Organisers have promoted the tournament’s scale, likening the 104 matches to many high-profile sporting events.
World Cup 2026 match schedule
FIFA has confirmed key dates and venues ahead of the draw. The opening match will be in Mexico City and the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
– Group stage: June 11–27
– Round of 32: June 28–July 3
– Round of 16: July 4–7
– Quarter-finals: July 9–11
– Semi-finals: July 14–15
– Third-place play-off: July 18
– Final: July 19