- Cristiano Ronaldo was given a three-match ban by FIFA for an elbow on Ireland’s Dara O’Shea in a World Cup qualifier.
- However, FIFA determined the Portugal captain would serve a one-game suspension, and the two remaining games would be served “under a one-year probationary period”.
- This is a rare occurrence, with only a couple of examples to draw from, but this could look like FIFA giving favoritism to Ronaldo.
FIFA has chosen to give Cristiano Ronaldo a three-match ban for a red card, but two of those matches will be served under a rarely-given probationary period.
Is FIFA bending the rules to allow Ronaldo at next year’s World Cup, or is there a precedent for this situation?
Ronaldo Elbows O’Shea in Qualifier, Yellow Card Changed to Red by VAR
FIFA sent a statement to The Athletic on Tuesday.
Ronaldo elbowed Irish defender Dara O’Shea in Portugal’s 2-0 loss in Ireland on November 13. The Portugal captain was given a yellow card, but VAR looked at the play and the card was upgraded to a red. It was the first red card in 226 international appearances for Ronaldo.
A portion of the statement said:
“If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked, and the remaining two matches must be served immediately at the next official match(es) of the Portuguese representative team.”
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee determined that the offense was worthy of a three-game ban. However, the governing body also said that Ronaldo would have to sit for one of the games. The remaining two matches will be served under a year of probation. If he stays out of trouble, Ronaldo wouldn’t miss any more games.
The 40-year-old missed a 9-1 win for Portugal against Armenia, and the team doesn’t play against until a pair of friendly matches on the road in March against Mexico and the United States. Portugal will then begin the World Cup in June.
It was noted by FIFA that it was Ronaldo’s first-ever red card, and that played into their conclusion. But that hasn’t stopped many of accusing FIFA of favoritism on Ronaldo’s side.
Has This Ever Happened Before, or Is FIFA Playing Favorites with Ronaldo?
It isn’t the first time that this has happened, but it’s very rare. Genk’s Mujaid Sadick escaped a ban and only received a suspension after giving up a penalty against Beerschot in the Belgian league in 2024.
In the same year, England’s Jude Bellingham was given a one-match suspended ban for an obscene gesture against Slovakia in a Round of 16 match. In both cases, the players were given fines, as well.
So, it has happened, but it is very rare, especially at the highest level. But in the case of Ronaldo, it’s easy to see why many would look at this sideways. FIFA doesn’t have a great reputation when it comes to corruption, especially among fans. It appears as though FIFA took the easy way out, allowing one of the biggest stars in world football to be present at the World Cup next summer.
It’s also interesting that this took place as Ronaldo was invited to a White House dinner with president Donald Trump and other world leaders, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino. We’ve seen many examples recently of government involvement in sports. It wouldn’t be a shock if this was just another case of this, with the World Cup taking place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.
It’s not the first time this has happened, but it is worth questioning FIFA’s methods here. But there is an excellent chance we’ll see Portugal’s Ronaldo with the #7 shirt and the captain’s armband when the World Cup kicks off next summer!
Click to Contact Finn
You must be logged in to comment. Don't have an account? Sign up today.