FIFA President Gianni Infantino has mounted a strong defence of his leadership and the organisation of the 2026 World Cup, dismissing criticism of the tournament and urging his detractors to focus on football rather than what he described as hate and false rumours.
In a lengthy post on Instagram, Infantino said the tournament had demonstrated the ability of football to bring people together and described the World Cup as “the greatest event on earth.”
He insisted that the tournament delivered a safe and successful experience, claiming there had been “zero incidents, zero violence” and only joy, unity and celebration.
However, his comments come amid a series of controversies surrounding the tournament, including visa difficulties faced by some supporters and officials, restrictions affecting certain teams and allegations of racist abuse.
Iran, which participated in the tournament despite its ongoing conflict with co-hosts the United States, faced several logistical challenges, including visa delays, the exclusion of key backroom staff and a change of training base.
Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, subsequently described his team as the “most oppressed” side at the tournament.
Other supporters and officials from countries including Haiti, Senegal and Ivory Coast were also affected by travel restrictions, while Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States despite holding a diplomatic passport and a single-entry visa.
Infantino, however, argued that the focus should be on the millions of people who were granted entry to attend the tournament.
He also downplayed criticism of FIFA’s handling of disciplinary matters, including the decision to suspend the one-match ban imposed on United States forward Folarin Balogun, allowing him to feature in a last-16 match.
The decision drew strong criticism from UEFA, which described it as “unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable,” while the Norwegian Football Federation considered pursuing a formal complaint.
Infantino defended the decision, arguing that similar rulings were common in some major football leagues.
FIFA is also investigating incidents involving Argentina players and staff following their World Cup final defeat to Spain, as well as allegations of racist abuse directed at American social media influencer IShowSpeed.
Supporters were also arrested at several matches, while the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials at some stadiums generated further controversy.
Despite the criticism, Infantino maintained that the tournament had achieved its broader objective of bringing people together.
He accused his critics of being so focused on attacking FIFA that they had failed to appreciate the emotional and unifying power of the tournament.
Infantino called on his opponents to “show some love” and urged them to reflect, pray, meditate or simply watch a football match.
He said the World Cup had brought together people of different generations and backgrounds, insisting that football remained a powerful force for unity and human connection.
