George Anjay
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has issued a defiant response to his detractors, urging them to "meditate, pray or watch a football match" rather than engage in what he described as "spreading hate and false rumours" about his leadership, the governing body, and the World Cup itself. In a lengthy, 15-slide post shared across his personal Instagram account and subsequently amplified to Fifa’s eight million followers, Infantino directly addressed "those behind their pens and papers, behind their screens." He asserted his conviction that while his critics were "busy planting seeds of hate," Fifa was simultaneously orchestrating what he termed "the greatest event on earth."
Infantino lauded the World Cup as a profound celebration of "humanity at its best," unequivocally stating that the 2026 tournament was characterized by "100% safety and security, only joy and happiness." He proceeded to downplay several of the event’s most significant controversies, notably highlighting the participation of Iran as a resounding success, despite the ongoing geopolitical tensions with co-host the United States. Infantino claimed that Fifa had "worked tirelessly to unite two countries at war," with Iran’s delegation entering the US "without incident or conflict."
This narrative starkly contrasts with the experiences voiced by Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, who had previously described his team as the "most oppressed" at the World Cup. Evidence emerged detailing a series of significant obstacles faced by the Iranian contingent. These included substantial visa delays, the denial of entry to "integral" members of their backroom staff, and the revocation of their fans’ ticket allocations. Furthermore, Iran was compelled to relocate their training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, due to a multitude of logistical challenges that plagued their preparations. Their movement between their training base and group stage matches in Los Angeles and Seattle was also subject to restrictions.
The difficulties encountered by Iran were not isolated incidents. Fans from Haiti, Senegal, and Ivory Coast also reported being impacted by travel bans implemented by the Trump administration. In a particularly concerning case, Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the US, even though he possessed a diplomatic passport and a single-entry US visa, citing his "association with suspected members of terror organisations." Infantino, in his post, attempted to contextualize these issues by stating, "You mentioned the few people denied visas and overlooked the millions who were approved, from all parts of the world. Because football unites the world, and it was impressively demonstrated this summer."
Reinforcing his assertion of the tournament’s security, Infantino declared that there were "zero incidents, zero violence, just joy, emotions, happiness, unity, and togetherness." However, Fifa’s own internal processes contradict this seemingly unblemished account. The governing body was reportedly investigating actions taken by Argentina, where players and backroom staff were involved in altercations with Spain’s players following the World Cup final. Additionally, Fifa was examining allegations of racist abuse directed at American social media influencer IShowSpeed, and supporters were arrested at multiple matches, including after England’s semi-final clash against Argentina in Atlanta. The controversial presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials within World Cup stadiums also drew scrutiny.
Infantino also addressed criticisms concerning the standard of officiating throughout the tournament, particularly the contentious decision to suspend USA forward Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban for their last-16 tie, following an apparent intervention by US President Donald Trump. This decision stood in stark contrast to the 191 other red cards issued at men’s World Cups, where only one other player had previously escaped a suspension. UEFA had condemned the decision, labelling it as having "crossed a red line" and describing it as "unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable." The Norwegian Football Federation was also reportedly considering filing a formal complaint with Fifa’s ethics committee.
In defense of such rulings, Infantino argued that these decisions were not extraordinary, claiming that similar leniency is "routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide." He further insinuated a degree of hypocrisy, stating, "It’s curious that the same countries employing these practices are the ones criticising." Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee had indicated it would not investigate Infantino for any potential breaches of political neutrality, asserting that a complaint lodged by the human rights campaign group FairSquare fell outside the jurisdiction of its ethics commission.
Infantino concluded his message by advocating for his opponents to "show some love" and "respect" for a tournament where "people came together as families, as fans, as one." He expressed a sense of regret for those who missed the essence of the event, stating, "To everyone who missed our beautiful game, the emotions, the celebrations, the laughter, the crying, the deception and the joy. To all of you who missed watching kids, babies, grandparents and parents come together for the beautiful game… sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all." He reiterated his belief in the power of football to foster unity, contrasting the actions of those celebrating with the "seeds of hate" allegedly being sown by critics. "Our world needs love, not hate; tolerance, not division; celebration, not mourning," he declared.
His direct advice to those critical of Fifa and the World Cup was pointed: "To those spending their time and energy hating us, please take a moment to reflect, meditate, pray or watch a football match and truly observe the faces, the eyes, the emotions." He emphasized the unique capacity of "our beautiful game" to deliver "such an extraordinary show, a show where everyone becomes one and reconnects as humans." Infantino concluded with a personal expression of pride, stating, "I am incredibly proud, as Fifa President, to have contributed, even a little, to this show. It’s a great feeling."
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