Cristiano Ronaldo has avoided a two-match ban that would have kept him out of the first pair of group-stage matches at the 2026 World Cup in the United States this summer.
Instead, FIFA has decided to suspend the ban for a “one-year probation period.”
It will enable one of the greatest players in the history of the sport and one of the most recognizable personalities in modern-day athletics to participate in a record sixth World Cup with Portugal.
The 40-year-old superstar was sent off in Portugal’s penultimate World Cup qualifying match against Ireland on Nov. 13, when he delivered an off-the-ball elbow to the back of defender Dara O’Shea.
After initially being shown a yellow card, VAR confirmed it was a red, meaning Ronaldo would miss the final qualifying match against Armenia.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee extended the suspension to three matches after review, but has seemingly reversed that decision to allow Ronaldo to participate in the opening matches on American soil.
Should he commit another infraction “of a similar nature and gravity” during his probationary period, the suspension will be put back into effect.
FIFA’s decision comes less than a week after Ronaldo met with United States President Donald Trump at the White House for a formal dinner with Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid talisman currently plays his club soccer in the Saudi Pro League.
Portugal has two friendly matches scheduled in March before expected World Cup warm-up matches shortly before the tournament begins on June 11.
