Fifa president Gianni Infantino has responded to criticism of his leadership and the 2026 World Cup by telling detractors to "meditate, pray or watch a football match" instead of "spreading hate and false rumours."

In a detailed 15-slide post on his personal Instagram account, which was also shared with Fifa's eight million followers, Infantino addressed those "behind their pens and papers, behind their screens," asserting that while critics were "busy planting seeds of hate," Fifa was delivering the "greatest event on earth."

He praised the World Cup for "celebrating humanity at its best," emphasizing that the 2026 tournament had "100% safety and security, only joy and happiness."

Infantino highlighted Fifa's efforts to include Iran in the tournament despite ongoing conflict with co-host the United States, stating that the organization "worked tirelessly to unite two countries at war," with Iran entering the US "without incident or conflict."

However, these remarks contrast sharply with comments from Iran's head coach Amir Ghalenoei, who described his team as the "most oppressed" at the World Cup.

The tournament also faced issues affecting fans from Haiti, Senegal, and Ivory Coast due to travel bans imposed by the Trump administration. Additionally, Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the US despite holding a diplomatic passport and visa, due to alleged associations with suspected terror organizations.

Infantino addressed criticism of officiating standards, particularly political interference concerns after USA forward Folarin Balogun was allowed to play in the last-16 match following a suspended one-match ban, a decision influenced by US President Donald Trump. UEFA condemned the decision as having "crossed a red line," calling it "unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable." The Norwegian Football Federation is considering a formal complaint to Fifa's ethics committee.

The International Olympic Committee announced it will not investigate Infantino for potential breaches of political neutrality, stating that the complaint from human rights group FairSquare falls outside its ethics commission's jurisdiction.

Sources