Decision made on Moises Caicedo's eligibility for World Cup 2026: report

"Moises Caicedo could be available for selection when Ecuador kick off their World Cup campaign next month. World Cup 2026 gets underway on Thursday, June 11 and Ecuador face Ivory Coast in their Group E opener at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday, June 14. It had been expected that La Tri would be without Chelsea midfielder Caicedo, who is due to serve a one-match suspension."

"Caicedo was given a second yellow card in Ecuador's last qualifying match, a 1-0 win against world champions Argentina in Guayaquil in September. He was given an automatic one-match ban and ruled out of the first game of the finals. Argentina's Nicolas Otamendi was sent off in the same match and was expecting the same sanction, but FIFA has reportedly given Ecuador and Argentina their wish by freeing Caicedo and Otamendi to play in their respective national teams' opening matches at the World Cup."

""FIFA has granted amnesty and Moises Caicedo is not suspended for the World Cup opener," reports Ecuadorian journalist Cesar Luis Merlo on X, formerly Twitter. A post shared by Moises Caicedo (@moises_caicedo55) A photo posted by on The same ruling has been made on the suspensions of Otamendi and Qatar's Tarek Salman, who was dismissed late in his team's last qualifier against the United Arab Emirates in October."

"Caicedo's second World Cup was expected to start when Ecuador face Curacao at Arrowhead Stadium, followed by their last group game against Germany at MetLife Stadium. Ecuador qualified in second place in CONMEBOL qualifying, finishing behind only Argentina thanks to an impressive campaign, securing their place in a fifth World Cup since 2002. The freshly eligible Otamendi and the world champions are set to take on Algeria in their Group J open"

Ecuador’s World Cup campaign begins in June 2026, with a Group E opener against Ivory Coast on June 14 in Philadelphia. Moises Caicedo had been expected to miss the match due to a one-game suspension after receiving a second yellow card in Ecuador’s last qualifying win over Argentina in September. FIFA reportedly granted amnesty, freeing Caicedo to play in the opening match. Nicolas Otamendi, also sent off in the same qualifier, was similarly freed to play for Argentina. The same ruling applied to Qatar’s Tarek Salman, who had been dismissed in a late qualifier in October. Ecuador’s next group matches were expected to include games against Curacao and Germany.

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