Ronaldo escapes World Cup ban after Ireland red | Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup reprieve is an …

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Ronaldo escapes World Cup ban after Ireland red

Kasey Keller wonders if Portugal will have to learn to play without Cristiano Ronaldo to take on the top teams at the World Cup. (0:50)

Cristiano Ronaldo will likely avoid missing any Portugal games at the 2026 World Cup despite his red card in a qualifying game for elbowing a Republic of Ireland opponent.

FIFA published a disciplinary verdict Tuesday that imposed a three-game ban, which judged Ronaldo's action as "violent conduct" or "serious foul play," but with two of those games deferred for a one-year probation period.

Ronaldo served a mandatory one-game ban when Portugal played its final qualifying game last week — a 9-1 win over Armenia that sealed their place at the World Cup in North America.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup reprieve is an insult to football fans

Portugal talisman, who was a guest of the White House recently, has punishment reduced because it was his first international red card

There have been World Cup hosting cycles re-engineered, the football calendar torn up and, last summer, a 10-day bespoke transfer window that popped up in June – so did anyone think that it would be a problem for Fifa to cut Cristiano Ronaldo’s ban?

Under Gianni Infantino the world governing body has chiefly operated on the time-honoured principle of “do what we like”. Thus, there was always a way that Infantino’s disciplinary department could claim discretion to cut the tariff for his elbow swing at Dara O’Shea – and there it was in Article 27 of the disciplinary code. The Fifa judicial committee can adjust a three-match ban for violent conduct as it sees fit.

Cristiano Ronaldo clear to start World Cup after Fifa suspends two games of his ban

He missed Armenia game so is free to play at tournament

Cristiano Ronaldo has been cleared to play in the opening matches of Portugal’s World Cup campaign after he was handed a suspended sentence for his red card against the Republic of Ireland.

The forward, who was a guest of president Donald Trump in the White House last week, had a customary three-match ban for violent conduct commuted by Fifa’s disciplinary committee on Tuesday to a one-game ban, with two further matches suspended under a year’s probation.

In effect Ronaldo has served his suspension, having sat out Portugal’s final World Cup qualifying match against Armenia last week.

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