France have secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while Cristiano Ronaldo's frustrating night in Dublin ended with a red card as Portugal were forced to wait to confirm their qualification.

France Clinch World Cup Berth with Dominant Display

France sealed their spot at the 2026 World Cup with a convincing 4-0 victory over Ukraine at the Parc des Princes. Kylian Mbappé led the way with two goals, adding to strikes from Michael Olise and Hugo Ekitike. Mbappé's second goal marked his 400th career goal for club and country. The victory gives France an unassailable lead in Group D, ensuring their participation in their eighth consecutive World Cup and 17th overall. France, the 2022 World Cup runners-up, join England as the second European nation to qualify for the tournament to be co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

The French team showcased their dominance throughout the match, with Ukraine struggling to contain their attacking prowess. Mbappé opened the scoring with a penalty in the 55th minute, before Olise and Ekitike sealed the victory with further goals. France's qualification marks their strong presence on the international stage, after winning the 2018 World Cup and finishing as runners-up in 2022.

Ronaldo Red Card Mars Portugal's Qualification Hopes

In contrast to France's joyous qualification, Portugal's path to the World Cup hit a snag as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland. The match took a turn for the worse when Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off in the second half for violent conduct.

Troy Parrott's first-half double put Ireland in control. Ronaldo's frustration boiled over in the 59th minute when he swung an elbow into the back of Ireland defender Dara O'Shea. Initially, the referee showed a yellow card, but after a VAR review, the decision was upgraded to a red card. This marks the first time that Ronaldo has been sent off in his international career.

Ronaldo's red card means he will miss Portugal's final qualifying match against Armenia. Furthermore, he risks a ban that could extend to the World Cup, depending on FIFA's disciplinary review. FIFA rules stipulate a ban of "at least two matches for serious foul play" and "at least three matches for violent conduct", which would apply to competitive games.

Portugal still leads Group F, but they must now beat Armenia to secure their place at the World Cup. A win for Ireland against Hungary would guarantee them at least second place in the group. The defeat against Ireland means Portugal have missed two chances to qualify, after being held by Hungary in October.

The result and Ronaldo's dismissal have cast a shadow over Portugal's World Cup aspirations. While France can celebrate their qualification, Portugal faces uncertainty as they head into their final match.