Cristiano Ronaldo is at risk of being banned for the first game of the 2026 World Cup if Portugal qualifies as expected.
The footballer was sent off for elbowing Ireland defender Dara O’Shea in the second half of a qualifying game on Thursday that Portugal lost 2-0 in Dublin.
Ronaldo will serve a one-game ban imposed for any red card when Portugal hosts Armenia on Sunday. A win will secure a place at the World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA disciplinary rules require its judges to impose a ban of “at least two matches for serious foul play.” The ban should be “at least three matches for violent conduct” or “at least three matches or an appropriate period of time for assault, including elbowing.”
A FIFA ban would apply to competitive games and could not be served in pre-tournament exhibitions.
The incident at Aviva Stadium
Ronaldo spun round and swung his right elbow into O’Shea’s back as they waited for the ball to be crossed around the hour mark at Aviva Stadium with Ireland holding a 2-0 lead.
The referee issued a yellow card but minutes later upgraded it to red after a video review at the pitchside monitor.
Ronaldo walked off the field being jeered and mocked by Ireland fans. He stopped and looked at the fans, clapped his hands towards them and raised two thumbs up in a gesture.
Ireland forward Troy Parrott had scored twice in the first half on Thursday to revive Irish hopes of qualification through the playoffs ahead of facing Hungary on Sunday.
Portugal tops Group F with 10 points, two ahead of Hungary. Ireland is third with seven points.
Ronaldo’s world cup ambitions
Ronaldo, who turns 41 in February, is aiming to play at a record sixth World Cup tournament.
Recently, the Al-Nassr forward revealed that the 2026 World Cup would be his last tournament and said he will retire from football within two years.
The tournament draw is made on December 5 in Washington DC when Portugal, if it qualifies, will learn its schedule of three opponents in the group stage.
