Cristiano Ronaldo faces a serious risk of being banned from the first game of the 2026 World Cup after receiving a red card for elbowing an Ireland defender during a qualifying match.
Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing Ireland defender Dara O’Shea in a recent qualifying game, which Portugal lost 2-0. This red card triggers a mandatory one-game ban, which he will serve when Portugal hosts Armenia. However, FIFA disciplinary rules mandate a ban of 'at least two matches for serious foul play' or 'at least three matches for violent conduct' or 'assault, including elbowing.' If FIFA imposes a longer ban, it would apply to competitive games, meaning Ronaldo could miss the opening match of the 2026 World Cup if Portugal qualifies as expected. The incident occurred around the hour mark, with the referee upgrading a yellow card to a red after a video review. Ronaldo, who turns 41 in February, is aiming to play in a record sixth World Cup tournament. The tournament draw is on December 5.
