FIFA authorises Ronaldo to participate in Portugal's opening World Cup match.

You might recall Ronaldo, Portugal's captain, received his first-ever international red card earlier this month during their World Cup qualifier against Ireland in Dublin. It happened after a VAR review upgraded a yellow card to red for an elbow on Dara O'Shea during a disappointing 2-0 defeat. Remarkably, this was his first dismissal in 226 international appearances!

He already sat out Portugal's final group game – a dominant 9-1 victory over Armenia that sealed their World Cup spot. While FIFA initially confirmed a three-match ban for the forty-year-old superstar, they've since decided to suspend the final two matches, provided he doesn't commit another offense.

In an official statement, FIFA clarified that "in line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the serving of the two remaining matches has been suspended under a one-year probation period." They further explained that should Ronaldo commit "another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period," the suspended ban would be "automatically revoked," and he'd have to serve those two matches immediately in Portugal's next official games.

For context, Article 27 grants FIFA's judicial body the power to "fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure." Interestingly, FIFA hasn't offered a public explanation for their decision to suspend the ban, and Reuters has reportedly reached out to the organization for more details.

This news means Ronaldo, who recently extended his contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr until 2027, is poised to participate in his sixth World Cup. He's still passionately pursuing the one major trophy that has eluded him throughout his illustrious career. The legendary forward, who has graced clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, already boasts a Euro 2016 title, two Nations League wins, and holds the incredible record as the all-time top scorer in international football with 143 goals.

Speaking of the World Cup, the highly anticipated draw for the 2026 tournament, set to be hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico, will be held on December 5th in Washington.