MIAMI — Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to be available for all of Portugal’s World Cup matches despite a red card he received for elbowing an opponent in a qualifying game.
On Tuesday, FIFA issued a three-match ban, but suspended two of those matches for a one-year probationary period. The superstar has already served the mandatory one-game suspension, sitting out Portugal’s 9-1 victory over Armenia last week—a win that secured the team’s place at the World Cup in North America.
The ruling is more lenient than anticipated, as the forward was widely expected to be suspended for at least one additional match and miss the start of what will be his sixth World Cup. According to FIFA, the two-match suspended ban will be activated only if Ronaldo commits another offense of a similar nature and severity during the probationary period.
The disciplinary action stems from an incident two weeks ago when Ronaldo struck Irish defender Dara O’Shea with his elbow during a 2-0 loss in Dublin. As world football’s governing body, FIFA has disciplinary authority over all international fixtures. Portugal has two friendlies scheduled in March, with more preparation games likely before the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico begins on June 11.
The verdict was delivered one week after Ronaldo met with U.S. President Donald Trump at a White House dinner also attended by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was also at the event and posed for a photo with the Portuguese player.
For three years, Ronaldo has played in the Saudi league for a club largely owned by the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, which the prince chairs. Saudi Arabia, a major financial backer of FIFA, is set to host the 2034 World Cup.
FIFA stated that its disciplinary verdict is subject to appeal. However, it is unclear who would have standing to challenge the decision, such as the Football Association of Ireland or Portugal’s future World Cup opponents.
As one of the top-seeded teams in the 48-nation tournament, Portugal will learn its group-stage opponents at the draw ceremony on December 5 in Washington, D.C., where President Trump is scheduled to be in attendance.
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