Portugal is set to formally challenge Cristiano Ronaldo's potential World Cup ban following his first-ever red card for the national team. The incident occurred during Portugal's 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland, where Ronaldo was sent off for violent conduct after an alleged elbow on defender Dara O'Shea.

The red card, which came in Ronaldo's 226th international appearance, initially saw the Al Nassr forward receive a yellow card before the referee upgraded the decision after a VAR review. According to FIFA disciplinary rules, Ronaldo is now facing a minimum one-match ban, but the suspension could be extended to three matches for violent conduct. If the ban stands, the Portuguese captain would miss Portugal's final qualifier against Armenia and potentially the first two games of the 2026 World Cup, assuming Portugal qualifies.

The Portugal Football Federation (FPF) is reportedly preparing a detailed appeal to FIFA in an attempt to reduce the ban to a single match. According to LUSA, the largest news agency in Portugal, the appeal will argue that the environment at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin was excessively hostile, exacerbated by pre-match comments from Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson accusing Ronaldo of influencing the referee in a previous match. The FPF will also argue that the decision failed to consider the physical grappling between Ronaldo and O'Shea in the box and that Ronaldo's reaction was instinctive due to repeated pulling and holding. Furthermore, the appeal is expected to highlight Ronaldo's exemplary disciplinary record, noting that this was his first red card in over 200 appearances for Portugal.

FPF president Pedro Proença is directly overseeing the appeal, underscoring its significance. Portugal coach Roberto Martínez has defended his captain, stating that the red card was harsh considering Ronaldo's clean record and the constant physical challenges he faced during the game. Martínez also criticized Hallgrimsson's comments, suggesting they contributed to a biased atmosphere.

Despite the loss to Ireland, Portugal remains in a favorable position to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. A win against Armenia in their final qualifier would secure their place in the tournament. However, should Portugal be forced into the play-offs, Ronaldo's suspension would carry over into those fixtures.

Ronaldo has already left the national team camp and will not participate in the match against Armenia. After being sent off in Dublin, Ronaldo responded to the jeering crowd with sarcastic clapping and thumbs-up gestures.