Overview
- Cristiano Ronaldo received a formal three-match sanction for his red card, with two matches suspended on probation, according to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee.
- FIFA confirmed the active one-game suspension was already served in Portugal’s 9–1 World Cup qualifying win over Armenia.
- Ronaldo was sent off against Ireland for an elbow on Dara O’Shea, upgraded to red by VAR after referee Glenn Nyberg initially showed yellow.
- FIFA regulations typically call for at least a three-game ban for violent conduct, while Portugal’s federation argued mitigating factors; coverage widely described the outcome as unusually lenient.
- With the conditional suspension, Ronaldo is expected to be available for Portugal’s 2026 World Cup opener, keeping alive his bid for a record sixth tournament appearance.