The first official poster for the FIFA 2026 World Cup was removed from the organization's social media platforms. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
This decision was made following sharp criticism from football fans. The poster featured representatives of 42 teams, with one player from each country depicted.
Bruno Fernandes, the midfielder from Manchester United, was shown as the representative of the Portugal national team. However, the legendary footballer and five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo was not on the poster.
This situation caused dissatisfaction among football fans, forcing FIFA to delete the poster. Additionally, the poster included Eldor Shomurodov, a representative of the Uzbekistan national team.
Currently, 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr club. He has announced that the 2026 World Cup will be his final tournament.
The 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For the first time, 48 teams will participate in the tournament.
The final match will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA. In the European qualifying stage, 12 teams will compete in playoff matches for 4 spots.
Two more spots will be determined through intercontinental playoff matches.
