FIFA has replaced its promotional poster for the 2026 World Cup following criticism for omitting Cristiano Ronaldo. The original version, posted on November 19, featured stars like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé but used Bruno Fernandes to represent Portugal. The updated poster, released on November 20, now includes Ronaldo celebrating his penalty goal from the 2022 tournament.
FIFA faced swift backlash after posting an initial promotional poster for the 2026 World Cup on November 19, which highlighted 42 qualified teams but excluded Cristiano Ronaldo. Instead, Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes represented Portugal, alongside other stars such as Lionel Messi of Argentina, Kylian Mbappé of France, Erling Haaland of Norway, Mohamed Salah of Egypt, Sadio Mané, and Ghana's Jordan Ayew. Fans expressed outrage online, with one questioning, "Why did FIFA post a poster of the World Cup but didn’t include the greatest player in history?" Another added, "They don’t want Ronaldo. Is it normal for a player who broke unbelievable records and raised the level of world football to be absent in this poster?"
Within hours, FIFA deleted the original poster from its social media channels, including X (formerly Twitter), without an initial statement. The move was seen as an acknowledgment of the fan frustration, which some interpreted as a potential snub to Ronaldo's legacy, especially given his status at age 40 and confirmation that 2026 will be his sixth and final World Cup appearance.
On November 20, FIFA released a revised poster with the caption: "What is your favorite moment at the 2022 World Cup?" The new design focuses on highlights from the previous tournament, featuring Ronaldo celebrating his only goal in Qatar—a penalty against Ghana in the group stage. It also includes Messi lifting the trophy, Mbappé's volley in the final, and Luka Modrić wearing his bronze medal for Croatia. Fan reactions to the update were mixed, with supporters like @CR7Global stating, "Order has been restored. You can’t talk about the World Cup without Ronaldo. Thank you, FIFA!" Others, such as @MessiUltra, noted, "So they had to redraw the whole poster just because Ronaldo fans cried? Meanwhile Messi was there from day one. Levels."
The 2026 tournament, expanded to 48 teams, will be hosted across Canada, the United States, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The incident underscores the sensitivity around representation in FIFA's promotions ahead of the December 5 draw.
