Earlier this month, the Portuguese icon received a three-game suspension for elbowing Ireland’s Dara O’Shea during a World Cup qualifier. ..Continue Reading
This punishment would see the 40-year-old sidelined for Portugal’s opening two matches of the 2026 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held across North America next summer.
Nevertheless, FIFA later opted to suspend the final two matches of the ban, a move that would allow Ronaldo to participate in the tournament.
Despite this, there remains a possibility that the Portuguese forward could still be absent from his country’s initial fixtures at the global event, as FIFA’s decision to lift the ban may be challenged in court.
Even though he assured officials he would be a “good boy” before the match, Ronaldo received a red card for the first time in his 226 appearances for Portugal during the clash with the Republic of Ireland.
As a result of the dismissal, he was ruled out of Portugal’s concluding qualifier against Armenia. However, FIFA’s ruling placed the remaining two games of the suspension under “a one-year probation period”, clearing him to feature in the World Cup.
A report from Mail Sport has indicated that nations drawn to face Portugal in the upcoming group stage draw might seek to challenge this ruling.
According to the report, these countries could file a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in an effort to reverse the suspension and reinstate the full ban.
Should they proceed, a tribunal in Switzerland would review the case and issue a decision. At present, it is uncertain whether the affected nations will pursue this course of action.
Due to the draw’s structure, England cannot be placed in the same group as Portugal, but Scotland—and potentially the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Wales—could be grouped with them if they qualify through the play-offs.
Portugal’s group opponents aren’t the only ones likely keeping an eye on the developments around Ronaldo’s suspension. Other nations with players set to miss World Cup matches due to bans might also consider legal action.
The report notes that any nation bringing a case before CAS must demonstrate that FIFA’s ruling has directly affected them and that they possess a legitimate legal interest in the matter.
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