Zurich: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has issued a pointed response to his critics, advising them to "meditate, pray or watch a football match" instead of propagating what he describes as "hate and false rumours" regarding his leadership, FIFA, and the World Cup.
According to TRTworld.com, in a 15-slide post on his personal Instagram account, which was shared with FIFA's eight million followers, Infantino addressed those "behind their pens and papers, behind their screens." He reaffirmed his belief that while critics were "busy planting seeds of hate," FIFA was successfully delivering the "greatest event on earth." Infantino described the World Cup as a celebration of humanity, asserting that the 2026 tournament promised "100% safety and security, only joy and happiness."
Despite downplaying several high-profile controversies, Infantino hailed the participation of Iran in the World Cup as a success, despite their ongoing conflict with co-hosts the United States. He stated that FIFA "worked tirelessly to unite two countries at war," noting that Iran entered the country "without incident or conflict." However, these comments stand in contrast to the statements of Iran's head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, who remarked that his team was the "most oppressed" at the World Cup. Iran faced multiple logistical challenges, including visa delays and the revocation of fans' ticket allocations, which led to their training base being moved from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico.
The issues encountered by Iran were not isolated. Fans from Haiti, Senegal, and Ivory Coast were similarly affected by travel bans imposed by the Trump administration. Somali referee Omar Artan was also denied entry to the US, despite holding a diplomatic passport and a single entry US visa, due to alleged associations with suspected terror organization members. Infantino highlighted the millions who were approved for visas as evidence of football's unifying power.
Infantino emphasized the tournament's safety, claiming there were "zero incidents, zero violence, just joy, emotions, happiness, unity, and togetherness." However, investigations are ongoing concerning Argentina's altercations with Spain's players after losing the World Cup final, allegations of racist abuse towards American influencer IShowSpeed, and multiple arrests at matches, including after England's semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta.
Controversy also surrounded the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials at World Cup stadiums. Infantino addressed concerns about the standard of officiating, particularly the suspension of USA forward Folarin Balogun's one-match ban following intervention from US President Donald Trump. UEFA criticized the decision as "unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable," and the Norwegian Football Federation is considering lodging a formal complaint with FIFA's ethics committee.
Infantino argued that similar decisions are "routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide," implicating that the criticism was hypocritical. The International Olympic Committee declared it would not investigate Infantino for breaches of political neutrality, as the complaint from human rights group FairSquare did not fall within its ethics commission's jurisdiction.
Infantino concluded with a plea for love and respect towards the World Cup, where "people came together as families, as fans, as one." He expressed pride in contributing to an event that showcased football as an extraordinary unifying force, urging critics to reflect and recognize the joy and human connection the tournament brought to millions worldwide.