Cristiano Ronaldo Eligible for Portugal’s World Cup Opener Despite Red Card
Posted : 26 November 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo will be available for Portugal’s opening match at next summer’s World Cup despite receiving a red card against the Republic of Ireland.
The 40-year-old’s elbow on Dara O’Shea normally carries a three-match ban, but the second and third games were suspended for a year.
Ronaldo has already served the one-match suspension against Armenia, ensuring he will not miss any games in the tournament.