Officially: Cristiano Ronaldo was initially given a three-match suspension by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee after his direct red card against Ireland. However, after reviewing the appeal from the Portuguese Football Federation—which argued that Ronaldo did not deserve more than a one-match ban—FIFA confirmed that he will be suspended for only one match. This means Cristiano Ronaldo will be able to participate in the 2026 World Cup from the very first group stage match The appeal was led by the current president of the Portuguese Federation and former international referee, Pedro Proença, regarding Ronaldo's red card and suspension.

OFFICIALLY: Cristiano Ronaldo’s suspension reduced – Ready to play in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup

An official news has just been confirmed and immediately exploded the global football fan community: Cristiano Ronaldo will only be suspended for one match, instead of three matches as originally sanctioned by FIFA after his direct red card in the match against Ireland. This means that CR7 will be present from the first match of the 2026 World Cup group stage – extremely important news for the Portuguese team and fans around the world.

Previously, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to suspend Ronaldo for 3 matches after a situation considered to be violent behavior. This penalty immediately caused fierce controversy, when many experts and former referees said that the situation did not deserve such a heavy penalty. In particular, with Ronaldo being 41 years old when the 2026 World Cup takes place, every match is vital in his final journey at the world’s biggest playground.

Not accepting the sentence considered “over-handed”, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) immediately filed an appeal. The person directly leading this process is FPF President – Mr. Pedro Proença, a famous former international referee who has officiated many big matches in Europe. In the appeal, FPF argued that the red card given to Ronaldo was not enough to lead to a three-match suspension, and that a lighter penalty was reasonable.

After reviewing all the records, videos and reports, FIFA accepted the appeal. The organization affirmed that the suspension will be reduced to a single match. This decision is considered completely reasonable and fair, especially when Ronaldo did not act in a defiant manner, did not provoke the referee and maintained a cooperative attitude after the match.

With the reduced sentence, Ronaldo will only miss the friendly match or the team’s next official match, but most importantly, he will participate in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup.

This good news has made the Portuguese fan community burst into tears. This is considered the last World Cup in Ronaldo’s career – where he wants to leave his final mark and write the most beautiful final chapter of a legend that has lasted more than two decades.

It can be said that FIFA’s decision not only relieves pressure on Portugal but also gives millions of fans the opportunity to continue to witness Ronaldo play in the most prestigious playground. With stable performance and burning determination, CR7 promises to enter the 2026 World Cup with a stronger spirit than ever.