Cristiano Ronaldo received a straight red card during Portugal’s World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland, raising questions about whether he will miss the start of the group stage if they qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
### The Incident
Portugal were trailing 2-0 when Ronaldo clashed with Dara O’Shea, hitting his elbow into the defender’s back. Referee Glenn Nyberg initially showed Ronaldo a yellow card but upgraded it to a red after reviewing the incident. This was Ronaldo’s first red card for Portugal in his 226th appearance.
As a result, Portugal will be without their captain for Sunday’s crucial home match against Armenia, where a win is needed to secure their spot at the tournament.
### Suspension Details: Will Ronaldo Get a Three-Match Ban?
Ronaldo’s red card automatically carries a one-match suspension, ruling him out of the upcoming qualifier against Armenia. However, violent conduct cases almost always result in an extended suspension. Any additional matches would only be served in competitive fixtures.
If Portugal manage to secure a win against Armenia and qualify directly, their next competitive match would be their opening group game at the World Cup. If Portugal drop into the play-offs, Ronaldo would likely miss the semi-final and possibly the final of the play-offs.
The exact length of Ronaldo’s suspension is now in the hands of FIFA’s disciplinary committee. Technically, FIFA could decide not to extend the ban, allowing Ronaldo to play at the start of the tournament.
However, FIFA’s disciplinary code typically states that a red card for “assault, including elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting, or hitting an opponent” should carry a three-match suspension. This would see Ronaldo miss Portugal’s first two World Cup group games or both play-off matches.
### Case-by-Case Consideration
It’s worth noting that FIFA judges these matters on a case-by-case basis. For example, at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, England forward Lauren James received a two-match ban for stamping on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie.
So while Ronaldo should technically be banned for three games, he might only receive a two-match suspension.
### Looking Ahead
Earlier this week, Ronaldo announced that the 2026 World Cup would be his final major tournament. With this suspension hanging over him, he is now likely to miss the start of the competition if Portugal qualify.
—
This article is brought to you by BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team.
### What is Ask Me Anything?
Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions. Our goal is to reward your time by sharing information you may not know, as well as reminding you of important details.
Our team works from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, tapping into a network of experts and pundits to bring you accurate and insightful answers. Coverage is available across the BBC Sport website, app, social media, YouTube, TV, and radio.
Have more questions? Stay tuned for more answers from the BBC Sport Ask Me Anything team.
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/ronaldo-banned-world-cup-red-101146395.html
