Chelsea star’s ban gets sudden U-turn after Cristiano Ronaldo decision set precedent
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was sent off during Ecuador’s South American qualifiers against Argentina and was expected to miss their World Cup opener
The midfielder will be available for Ecuador’s World Cup opener against Ivory Coast(Image: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Moises Caicedo’s ban for Ecuador’s World Cup opener against Ivory Coast has been lifted following a previous Fifa ruling involving Cristiano Ronaldo. The Chelsea midfielder was sent off during Ecuador’s 1-0 win over Argentina in the final round of South American qualifiers last September.
Caicedo was booked after just 16 minutes and received his second yellow only five minutes into the second half. Driving into the opposition half, a heavy touch allowed Argentina’s Nicolas Gonzalez to step across him and shield the ball.
The 24-year-old swung his right foot in an attempt to recover possession, making the slightest contact before Gonzalez went to ground. Despite the midfielder raising his hands to signal innocence, Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan immediately produced the second yellow.
That meant Caicedo would miss Ecuador’s opening match of the 2026 World Cup group stage as punishment. “I think players don’t like to get yellow cards or red cards. I need to learn from that,” he told reporters in January.
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“That’s why people, referees, recognise me, because I’m very aggressive in winning the ball back, but not with bad intentions. I try to help my team and that’s the way I play.
‘Sometimes that’s the risk I need to take. It’s good, and I’m going to keep playing like this because it’s my style.”
However, journalist Cesar Luis Merlo reports that Fifa have applied an amnesty, meaning Caicedo will no longer be suspended for Ecuador’s opener. Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi and Qatar’s Tarek Salman are also understood to have benefited from the same ruling.
A similar situation occurred with Portugal captain Ronaldo after an elbow on Dara O’Shea saw him get a red card against the Republic of Ireland in November.
The 41‑year‑old was handed a three‑match ban, but Fifa later decided to suspend the final two games of that punishment for one year – a rare intervention that ultimately cleared Ronaldo to play in Portugal’s first two World Cup fixtures.
Fifa is understood to have taken into account his disciplinary record and the absence of previous red cards across his long international career.
This season for Chelsea, Caicedo has been sent off once – during the 1–1 draw with Arsenal last November. He attempted to win the ball back but caught Mikel Merino above the ankle, leaving both players on the ground.
Meanwhile, Ecuador, drawn in Group E, begin their World Cup campaign against Ivory Coast on June 15 before facing Curacao on June 21 and Germany on June 25 – fixtures Caicedo will be available for.
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