Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo can play in the first game of the 2026 World Cup after FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee issued him a one-match ban — which he has already served — for the red card he received in his country’s 2-0 loss to the Republic of Ireland on Nov. 13.
FIFA published a disciplinary verdict Tuesday that imposed a three-game ban, yet with two of those games deferred for a one-year probation period.
FIFA issued Ronaldo a further two-match ban, which he will not serve provided he does not commit another disciplinary incident.
Dara O’Shea away from the ball. After an initial yellow card, the referee was urged to review the incident on the pitchside monitor by the video assistant referee and upgraded the decision to a red card.
Ronaldo has been sent off 13 times at club level.
The FIFA verdict comes six days after Ronaldo met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House for a formal dinner with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. Ronaldo has played in the Saudi Pro League for three years for a club majority owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth that the prince chairs.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
