Cristiano Ronaldo has been cleared to participate in Portugal's opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite receiving a red card in a recent qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee initially imposed a three-match ban following the incident on November 13, but has suspended two of those matches, making Ronaldo available for selection.

The red card, the first of Ronaldo's senior international career which spans an impressive 226 matches, was issued after he was deemed to have struck Irish defender Dara O'Shea with an elbow. The decision by referee Glenn Nyberg to initially show a yellow card before upgrading it to red after VAR consultation, sparked considerable debate.

FIFA's decision to suspend part of the ban takes into account several factors, including Ronaldo's previous good behavior and the fact that this was his first ever red card in international play. He already served the first match of the ban during Portugal's World Cup qualifying match against Armenia on November 16.

According to FIFA's statement, the remaining two matches are suspended under a one-year probation period. Should Ronaldo commit another similar infraction during this time, the suspended ban will be immediately enforced in addition to any sanctions for the new infringement.

This ruling means Ronaldo is on track to become the first player to compete in six World Cups.

The FIFA Disciplinary Code allows the judicial committee to suspend disciplinary measures partially or fully under Article 27. This provision was applied in Ronaldo's case, considering the circumstances surrounding the red card and his overall conduct.