Former Chelsea midfielder and ESPN pundit, Craig Burley, has blasted FIFA for what he describes as a “mockery” of its own disciplinary system after the body cleared Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo to feature in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ronaldo, who was sent off in Portugal’s 2-0 loss to Ireland for elbowing Dara O’Shea off the ball, initially faced a multi-match suspension. He subsequently missed Portugal’s final qualifier against Armenia. However, FIFA reduced the punishment to a one-game ban — a decision Burley says exposes double standards.
Speaking on ESPN FC, the former Scotland international accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of prioritizing commercial value over fairness.
“If Gianni Infantino had any shame… let’s be honest, he’d sell his soul for money,” Burley said. “They’ve made a mockery of their own disciplinary process. What this tells referees is: don’t send off the big stars. Keep it for the lesser-known players because FIFA wants the big names at major tournaments.”
Burley argued that a violent conduct red card typically attracts a three-match suspension with no special considerations.
“When have you ever seen any player get probation after a violent conduct red? It’s a three-game ban — that’s it. You can’t give a player a three-game ban and then say, ‘have two games off.’”
He insisted that any other player would have served the full punishment and risked missing part of the World Cup.
“But for Cristiano Ronaldo, there are different rules. And if FIFA tries to say otherwise, they’re talking absolute nonsense,” he added.
The decision has reignited debate over whether football’s governing bodies bend disciplinary standards to protect the sport’s biggest stars.
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