Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for 30 days and fined €255 (approximately $286 or £215) by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). The decision was announced on Monday, October 19, 2026, by the FPF’s disciplinary council.
The council found the charges against the 41-year-old “fully substantiated.” It convicted him of intentionally committing a disciplinary offence under Article 160(1) of the FPF disciplinary regulations on a single occasion.
The official statement confirmed a 30-day suspension plus the fine of €255 (equivalent to 2.5 units of account). Mitigating factors included Ronaldo’s significant contributions to football and recognitions for athletic merit; he submitted his sports resume detailing career awards as part of the process.
This is the minimum penalty under FPF rules, which allow suspensions of one to six months plus a fine for players who fail to appear or abandon international duties. The fine has been widely described as “pocket change” for a player of Ronaldo’s stature and earnings.
Background: The Dispute with Coach Jorge Jesus
The incident stemmed from a rift during the September 2026 UEFA Nations League international window. Ronaldo, Portugal’s all-time leading scorer (146 goals in 234 appearances) and captain, had previously worked successfully with Jesus at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, where they won the Saudi Pro League in 2025-26. Jesus, known as a disciplinarian, had recently taken charge of the national team.
Key sequence of events:
• Portugal beat Wales 1-0 on September 24. Ronaldo featured but was substituted.
• Against Norway on September 27 in Oslo, Ronaldo was an unused substitute. According to his later account, there was an understanding that he would manage his fitness and potentially sit out certain games. On match day, however, he was told he would play around 30 minutes. He warmed up from half-time but was never introduced as Portugal won 2-1 (goals by João Félix and Gonçalo Ramos; Erling Haaland scored for Norway). Ronaldo did not acknowledge the traveling fans afterward and walked straight down the tunnel.
• A subsequent meeting involving Jesus and Al-Nassr sporting director Simão Coutinho reportedly produced agreed talking points for a press conference. Ronaldo claimed Jesus’s public comments did not match this agreement (the second alleged broken promise) and showed unexpected aggressiveness.
• On or around September 30, before the Nations League match against Denmark in Copenhagen, Ronaldo left the camp after learning he would not start. Portugal went on to win 4-2 without him.
In a lengthy public statement of roughly 1,740–2,000 words in early October, Ronaldo detailed his version: Jesus had broken his word twice, causing an absolute breach of trust. He apologized to teammates for leaving, to fans for not greeting them after the Norway match, and to the Portuguese people.
He accepted full responsibility for walking out, stated that as captain his actions warranted no mitigation, and said he expected and deserved punishment from the FPF. He confirmed he was not retiring from international football, remained available after any sanction, and wanted to continue chasing career milestones, including 1,000 career goals. Jesus denied any specific agreement but left the door open for Ronaldo’s return.
The FPF opened urgent disciplinary proceedings on October 9, with a provisional suspension issued around then. FPF president Pedro Proença publicly expressed a desire for calm, dialogue, and Ronaldo’s eventual return.
Impact of the Suspension and Portugal’s Results
The 30-day ban is backdated to the time of the offence in September 30. This means Ronaldo has already served a substantial portion of it. As of the announcement, he had roughly 11 days remaining in some accounts, or would complete the suspension by the end of October.
He is therefore expected to be eligible for Portugal’s next Nations League fixtures: against Denmark on November 14 and against Wales on November 17.
