Cristiano Ronaldo was in danger of a major ban for a foul he committed against Ireland in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. This also raised doubts about his performance at the start of the 2026 World Cup. The world football governing body (FIFA) gave the number seven jersey holder some relief on this issue.
Portugal returned from Dublin with a 2-0 defeat in the European ‘F’ Group match on November 14. In addition to the team’s defeat, there was a big worry about Ronaldo. The Al Nasr star saw a red card in the 59th minute of the match on the opponent’s field.
The referee showed Ronaldo a red card for a foul on Ireland’s Dara and Shia. The forward had to be banned for such a foul. It was just a matter of how many matches it would last. FIFA rules say that the footballer in question is usually given a three-match ban for violent conduct or serious fouls on the field.
The good news for Portugal is that FIFA has suspended Ronaldo’s two-match ban for one year. This means that the Portuguese will be getting the star footballer from the start of the 2026 World Cup. Ronaldo has already served a one-match ban for that red card.
Portugal defeated Armenia 9-1 on November 16. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was not present in the match held at Porto’s Estadio do Dragao. Portugal secured its ticket to the 23rd World Cup by winning that match.
FIFA will enforce Ronaldo’s two-match ban if he commits a similar act within a year. In a statement, the organization said, “The remaining two-match ban will be monitored for one year. If he commits the same act during this time, the suspension will be automatically canceled and the remaining two-match ban will be served.”
