Sport Update

FIFA was forced to delete and replace a promotional poster for the 2026 World Cup this week after fans erupted over the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo. The original poster, which aimed to showcase star players from 42 qualified teams, surprisingly featured Bruno Fernandes as Portugal’s representative — leaving out Ronaldo entirely. Angry supporters flooded the organization’s social media platforms, calling the omission disrespectful to one of the game’s all-time icons. In response, FIFA quietly removed the post and later published a new version that finally includes Ronaldo celebrating a penalty goal from the 2022 World Cup. But the controversy didn’t end there. The revised poster itself sparked further criticism: Son Heung-min, originally part of the first design, was entirely removed. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi appears in the center holding the 2022 trophy — a strange choice for a tournament promotion meant to celebrate the future (2026) rather than past victories. Adding to the intrigue are unverified online claims that the initial snub was more than a design oversight. Some fans argue that FIFA’s editors deliberately excluded Ronaldo because of past remarks he allegedly made, including downplaying the World Cup. These claims, however, remain hearsay: no major media outlet has validated any specific instance of Ronaldo calling the World Cup “just a 7- or 8-game tournament” in a public interview. FIFA has not issued a full explanation or apology, leaving the episode as another reminder of how sensitive football’s biggest star controversies can become — even before a single ball is kicked in 2026.