Overview
- Ireland beat Portugal 2-0 in Dublin as Troy Parrott scored twice, and a VAR review upgraded Cristiano Ronaldo’s booking to a straight red for elbowing Dara O’Shea.
- Ronaldo will serve an automatic one-match suspension against Armenia, with a FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruling pending that could extend his ban into the World Cup if Portugal qualify.
- Group F remains open with Portugal on 10 points ahead of Hungary by two and Ireland by three; Hungary host Ireland on Sunday as Portugal host Armenia.
- France secured their place at the 2026 World Cup with a 4-0 win over Ukraine led by a Kylian Mbappé brace, and England kept a perfect qualifying record by beating Serbia 2-0.
- Norway moved to the brink with a 4-1 win over Estonia featuring two goals from Erling Haaland, though Italy’s late victory over Moldova delayed Norway’s mathematical confirmation.