Cristiano Ronaldo handed World Cup reprieve by FIFA as suspension confirmed | OneFootball

Cristiano Ronaldo has faced a nervous wait to find out whether he would be suspended for Portugal’s first match of the 2026 World Cup, following his red card in the qualifier defeat to Ireland earlier this month, and he has now learned his fate.

Ronaldo struck Dara O’Shea with a trailing elbow during the match in Dublin, which saw him sent off following a VAR check. It was the first time in 226 international appearances that the 40-year-old had been shown a straight red card, and given the nature of the dismissal, it had been feared that he would be handed a two-match suspension – which would have seen him miss Portugal’s opening fixture at next summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

However, he has been handed a reprieve, with Marca reporting that Ronaldo has been handed a one-match ban by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, with a further two matches suspended (which would automatically be enforced if he commits a similar offence in the next 12 months). He already served this during Portugal’s 9-1 victory over Armenia, which means that he is able to feature in Portugal’s opening World Cup match.

Image via The Independent

Ronaldo is hoping to end World Cup career on a high

It is certain that next summer’s tournament will be Ronaldo’s last World Cup in his glittering career, so it will be a big relief for him that he will not go into it with a suspension. The Real Madrid icon, who sparked controversy earlier this month with comments made about the current standard of La Liga, will be desperate for glory in the United States, where he recently dined with the nation’s president, Donald Trump.

It will be interesting to see how Ronaldo gets on at the 2026 World Cup, but that can wait. For now, all that he, his fans and millions of spectators around the world need to know is that he will not be suspended for Portugal’s opening match of the tournament.