Cristiano Ronaldo can probably play in the first game for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup. Contrary to what many expected, the ban following his red card in the qualifying game against Ireland is only valid for one game.
Two more games have been put on probation by the world association FIFA. The 40-year-old has already served his one-game ban for his national team’s 9-1 win against Armenia.
Elbow strike against Ireland’s O’Shea
Ronaldo was sent off on November 13th after elbowing Ireland’s Dara O’Shea. If the two games had not been suspended, he would have had to watch his team start at the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada next summer. The former world footballer is aiming for his sixth World Cup participation. According to a report by the AP news agency, the suspended compulsory break from two more games will only become active if Ronaldo commits another violation of a similar nature.
The first dismissal in the 226th international match
Typically, a mandatory time-out of three games is set for an assault. The FIFA judges can also claim mitigating or aggravating circumstances. The former apparently happened. For Ronaldo it was the first dismissal in his 226th international match.