A control device for an internal combustion engine has a controller configured to control a fuel injection valve arranged to directly inject a fuel into a combustion chamber, and a variable compression ratio mechanism arranged to vary an upper dead center position of a piston, and thereby to vary a compression ratio of the internal combustion engine. The controller is configured to control a fuel cut by which the fuel injection from the fuel injection valve is stopped, when a predetermined fuel cut condition is satisfied during a traveling of a vehicle. The fuel injection from the fuel injection valve is restarted when a predetermined fuel cut recovery condition is satisfied during the fuel cut.