By Martin Graham
Cristiano Ronaldo’s dismissal in that of Portugal qualifier against the Republic of Ireland has raised questions about whether he could be kept out of the early stages of the 2026 World Cup.
The striker was sent off after striking Dara O’Shea with his arm during a challenge while Portugal were two goals behind. Referee Glenn Nyberg initially booked him, but changed the decision to a dismissal after reviewing the fight on the monitor.
It was the first time that the Portuguese captain was sent off in his long international career.
As a result, he will not take part in the next match at home with Armeniaa match that Portugal must win to book their place in the final tournament.
Possibility of disciplinary extension
Outright dismissal already rules him out of Sunday’s tie, but further sanctions could follow. Penalties for physical assault are often longer, and any additional matches would only apply to official competitions.
Should Portugal secure automatic qualification by beating Armenia, the next significant game would be their first World Cup outing. If, contrary to expectations, the team enters the play-offs, he would be absent from those qualifiers.
The length of the suspension will depend on the decision of the FIFA disciplinary tribunal.
How many games could he miss?
While the committee has the authority to limit punishment to the mandatory single match, the governing body’s regulations set stricter penalties for actions such as elbowing or punching.
A three-game suspension is considered standard for such violations, which would keep him out of two group games in the tournament or both playoff games. However, the penalties are not fixed and have varied in previous competitions
An example was at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, where England’s Lauren James received a two-match ban after stepping on an opponent’s back.
Ronaldo could therefore face three games off the pitch, although a shorter ban is still possible.
