Matchday 5 of the World Cup qualifiers was a nightmare for Portugal. They lost 2-0 to Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, missing an ideal chance to secure their spot in the FIFA tournament set for next summer in North America. On top of that, Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off, a situation that could have serious consequences moving forward.
The clock had reached 61 minutes, and the score was 2-0 when Ronaldo delivered an elbow without contesting the ball to Dara O’Shea. Initially, referee Glenn Nyberg issued a yellow card to the forward, but after a VAR review, he changed his decision, rescinding the yellow and showing Cristiano a red instead.
That red card significantly diminished Portugal’s chances of turning the match around, ultimately leading to their defeat—but the consequences could be even worse. Cristiano Ronaldo’s participation in Portugal’s opening match of the World Cup 2026 is now very much in doubt.
What could happen to Ronaldo after the red card?
Article 9.2 of the FIFA regulations outlines how suspensions are carried over in official tournaments: “Pending match suspensions imposed as a result of a direct or an indirect red card in matches in the preliminary competition of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be carried over to the final competition.”
This presents a serious risk for Cristiano Ronaldo. From now until the start of the World Cup 2026, Portugal have only one official FIFA match left: the qualifier on Sunday against Armenia. If they win, they will secure qualification as leaders of Group F. Even a draw or a loss could be enough, depending on what happens between Hungary and Ireland.
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If Ronaldo receives a one-match suspension for his red card, he will serve it this Sunday and be cleared for the start of the World Cup 2026. But if the suspension is longer, he faces a major problem, as he could miss Portugal’s opening group-stage match next summer in North America.
Another unwanted scenario for Ronaldo and Portugal
If Cristiano Ronaldo’s suspension exceeds one match, there is still a chance he could serve it before the World Cup. But contrary to what it might initially seem, this would not necessarily be good news for the forward or the team.
In the unlikely event that Portugal lose their lead in Group F of the qualifiers, they would be forced into a European playoff in March 2026. That tournament is considered an official FIFA competition, so Ronaldo could serve his suspension there. However, that would put Portugal’s World Cup presence at risk, making it far from an ideal situation.
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Other cases similar to Cristiano Ronaldo’s
Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation is not unique. At least two other stars will also serve suspensions from red cards in qualifiers and miss their first match of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Moises Caicedo and Nicolas Otamendi were sent off in the South American qualifier between Ecuador and Argentina in September. That was the final match of that competition, meaning both players have no choice but to serve their suspensions in the World Cup opener.
