Will Cristiano Ronaldo Play in World Cup Opener? Latest Updates on Possible Suspension

Cristiano Ronaldo will be eligible to play in Portugal's opening match of the 2026 World Cup, assuming he makes the squad.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was sent off in a 2-0 loss to the Republic of Ireland on Nov. 13, which forced him to miss a 9-1 win over Armenia that sealed Portugal's qualification.

FIFA ruled the remainder of Ronaldo's three-match ban is suspended for a year, which clears his availability for the World Cup.

"If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately," FIFA said, per BBC Sport.

At 40 years old, Ronaldo is clearly no longer at his peak on the pitch, and playing in the Saudi Pro League means he's not being challenged in the same way he would at a top club in Europe.

Portugal remains reliant on the legendary attacker, though.

Ronaldo scored five goals in five World Cup qualifying fixtures and had eight goals and one assist across nine matches in the Nations League last season.

One could question whether it's time for coach Roberto Martínez to pivot toward a younger forward line and a less heliocentric plan of attack. A longstanding criticism of Ronaldo in recent years is that he's offering less and less beyond his goalscoring, and his massive profile makes it almost impossible to use him in a supporting role or as a super sub off the bench.

But de-emphasizing the Al-Nassr star would represent a major tactical change. He continues to be a regular starter for Portugal and play deep into matches.

For better or worse, Ronaldo will have a big say in how far the country advances in the 2026 World Cup. Missing him for the opening two matches would've been a tough blow for Martínez.