Portugal's veteran striker Cristiano Ronaldo has secured eligibility for his nation's opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a disciplinary ruling on his recent red card. The 40-year-old will escape suspension during the tournament despite being dismissed for elbowing Ireland's Dara O'Shea during Portugal's 2-0 qualifying loss earlier this month.
While violent conduct typically triggers a three-match ban, governing body FIFA has suspended the second and third fixtures of Ronaldo's punishment for a one-year probationary period. This decision stems from his unblemished disciplinary history across 226 senior international caps—the first sending-off of his national team career.
Ronaldo already served the initial match suspension during Portugal's November 16 qualifier against Armenia. Consequently, he faces no additional club or international suspensions before the World Cup begins in North America next summer. FIFA's official statement emphasized that any repeat offense of similar severity during the probation would reactivate the suspended portion of his ban immediately.
The forward finished qualifying with five goals as Portugal claimed Group F victory, securing their seventh consecutive World Cup berth. Ronaldo simultaneously maintains his position as Portugal's all-time top scorer with 143 international goals. The tournament draw determining group stage matchups will air live on BBC television December 5, revealing Portugal's path in the expanded 48-team competition.
Comments (0)
Leave a Comment
Be the first to comment on this article!