Cristiano Ronaldo may miss the opening match of the 2026 World Cup after receiving a red card for violent conduct during Portugal’s 2-0 loss to the Republic of Ireland on Thursday.
According to reports, the Al Nassr forward was initially shown a yellow card in the 61st minute after elbowing Irish defender Dara O’Shea. However, following a VAR review, the referee upgraded the caution to a red card. The dismissal marks Ronaldo’s first-ever red card for Portugal in what was his 226th international appearance. He has previously been sent off 13 times at club level.
Under FIFA disciplinary regulations, Ronaldo will serve a mandatory one-match ban for violent conduct in competitive fixtures. The rules state that such offences may attract a suspension of “at least three matches or an appropriate period of time for assault, including elbowing.” Importantly, the ban cannot be served in friendly matches, meaning it will apply once Portugal returns to competitive action.
Portugal entered the match knowing a win would secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup, but two goals from Troy Parrott stunned the visitors. Despite the defeat, Portugal still sits two points ahead of Hungary in Group F, and a win over Armenia on Sunday will seal their place at the tournament — potentially marking Ronaldo’s sixth World Cup appearance.
Prior to kickoff, Ronaldo acknowledged the difficulty of playing at the Aviva Stadium, where he anticipated a hostile reception from Irish fans. He expressed admiration for the crowd, saying he hoped supporters would not boo him “too much.”
After being sent off, Ronaldo reacted to jeers from the stands with a wry smile, clapping sarcastically and giving two thumbs up. His dismissal follows earlier controversy involving Irish fans, including claims during the reverse fixture that he had undue influence on the referee during Portugal’s late winning goal.
The Portugal captain will now await the final decision on the length of his suspension, which could impact his World Cup campaign.
