Will Ronaldo be banned at World Cup after red card?
- Published
Cristiano Ronaldo received a straight red card during Portugal's World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland - but will he miss the start of the group stage if they qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
Portugal were trailing 2-0 when Ronaldo clashed with Dara O'Shea, hitting his elbow into the defender's back.
Referee Glenn Nyberg spotted the incident and showed Ronaldo a yellow card, but upgraded it to a red after reviewing it.
The incident was Ronaldo's first red card for Portugal in his 226th appearance.
Portugal will be without their captain for Sunday's home match against Armenia, with a win needed to secure their spot at the tournament.
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Ronaldo exchanged words with Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson and sarcastically applauded the crowd after the red card
Will Ronaldo get a three-match ban?
Earlier this week, Ronaldo announced next year's World Cup would be his final major tournament, but now he is likely to miss the start of it.
The red card he received automatically carries a one-match suspension, ruling him out of Sunday's crucial qualifier against Armenia.
But violent conduct almost always carries an extended suspension and the extra games would only be served in competitive fixtures.
If Portugal get the win they need against Armenia to qualify directly, their next competitive match would be their opening group game at the World Cup.
If the unlikely happens and Portugal do drop into the play-offs, the 40-year-old would sit out the semi-final and perhaps the final.
But how many games will Ronaldo get? That is in the hands of Fifa's disciplinary committee.
Technically, Fifa could opt not to extend Ronaldo's ban at all, meaning he would not be at risk of missing the start of the tournament.
However, Fifa disciplinary code states that a red card for "assault, including elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting or hitting an opponent" should carry a three-match suspension. That would see Ronaldo miss Portugal's first two World Cup group games or both play-off matches.
But it's not quite as simple as that, as Fifa judges these matters on a case-by-case basis.
For instance, at the 2023 Women's World Cup, England forward Lauren James was given two matches for stamping on the back of Nigeria's Michelle Alozie.
So, Ronaldo should be banned for three games, but he might only receive a two-match suspension.
There is no confirmed date for the decision, but after previous international windows the Fifa disciplinary committee met at the start of the following month.
That would mean Ronaldo would learn his fate closer to the World Cup draw on 5 December.
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