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FIFA Amnesty Clears Otamendi, Caicedo, Ronaldo for 2026 World Cup

5/9/2026

Summary

FIFA Grants Amnesty

FIFA granted amnesty so Nicolás Otamendi and Moisés Caicedo are eligible for the 2026 World Cup despite red-card bans.
Qatar defender Tarek Salman and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo will also be cleared, with Salman’s two-match ban lifted for Qatar’s June 13 opener and Ronaldo’s November suspension deferred for a one-year probation.
The amnesty excludes single yellows and one- or two-match suspensions and covers only expulsions that stopped goal-scoring chances or extreme-severity fouls.

Summary

Caicedo Cleared

FIFA’s amnesty will clear Moises Caicedo’s suspension, letting him start Ecuador’s opening World Cup match.
Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan gave Caicedo a second yellow for light foot contact with Argentina’s Nicolas Gonzalez in the qualifier.
Caicedo said his aggressive ball-winning style is intentional and he will keep playing it despite the risk of cards, recalling a red card for Chelsea after a second yellow in a 1–1 draw with Arsenal.

History

Historical Context

In 1994 the United States-hosted World Cup introduced a fair-play points system that ranked teams on yellow and red cards and was the only year the FIFA Fair Play Award was not presented, while the finals featured 24 teams. FIFA’s later approval of a 48-team format for 2026 shows how those disciplinary reforms still influence tournament structure.

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FIFA Grants Amnesty

FIFA granted amnesty so Nicolás Otamendi and Moisés Caicedo are eligible for the 2026 World Cup despite red-card bans.
Qatar defender Tarek Salman and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo will also be cleared, with Salman’s two-match ban lifted for Qatar’s June 13 opener and Ronaldo’s November suspension deferred for a one-year probation.
The amnesty excludes single yellows and one- or two-match suspensions and covers only expulsions that stopped goal-scoring chances or extreme-severity fouls.

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