Fifa president Gianni Infantino has told his critics to “meditate, pray or watch a football match” rather than “spreading hate and false rumours” about his leadership, the governing body, and the World Cup.
In a 15-slide post on his personal Instagram account, reposted to Fifa’s eight million followers, Infantino addressed “those behind their pens and papers, behind their screens,” insisting that while they were “busy planting seeds of hate,” Fifa was delivering the “greatest event on earth.” The World Cup, he said, “celebrated humanity at its best,” adding that the 2026 tournament had “100% safety and security, only joy and happiness.”
Infantino played down several of the tournament’s high-profile controversies and hailed the participation of Iran, who took part despite their ongoing conflict with co-hosts the United States, as a success. Fifa, he said, “worked tirelessly to unite two countries at war,” with Iran entering the country “without incident or conflict.” That account stands in stark contrast to the words of Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, who said his team were the “most oppressed” at the World Cup.
Iran faced visa delays, saw “integral” members of their backroom staff denied entry to the US, and had a fan ticket allocation revoked. The team also had to move their training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, after a series of logistical problems in the build-up, and later encountered restrictions on their movements as they travelled between their base and group matches in Los Angeles and Seattle.
Such issues were not confined to Iran. Fans from Haiti, Senegal, and Ivory Coast were affected by travel bans imposed by the Trump administration, while Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the US, despite holding a diplomatic passport and a single-entry visa, over his alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations.”
Infantino, however, framed the picture differently. “You mentioned the few people denied visas and overlooked the millions who were approved, from all parts of the world,” he wrote. “Because football unites the world, and it was impressively demonstrated this summer.” Doubling down on the tournament’s safety, he described “zero incidents, zero violence, just joy, emotions, happiness, unity, and togetherness.”
Investigations and Disputes
That account glosses over a number of ongoing matters. Fifa is investigating Argentina’s conduct after players and backroom staff were involved in altercations with Spain’s players following their defeat in the World Cup final. It is also looking into allegations of racist abuse directed at American social media influencer IShowSpeed, while supporters were arrested at multiple matches, including after England’s semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were also controversially present at World Cup stadiums.
Infantino further addressed criticism of the standard of officiating, in particular concerns about political interference after USA forward Folarin Balogun was made available for their last-16 tie when his one-match ban was suspended by Fifa, following the intervention of US President Donald Trump. Of the 191 other red cards shown at a men’s World Cup, only one other player has escaped a suspension. Uefa said the decision had “crossed a red line,” calling it “unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable,” while the Norwegian Football Federation is weighing a formal complaint to Fifa’s ethics committee.
Infantino argued such rulings are not unusual, claiming similar decisions are “routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide.” He added: “It’s curious that the same countries employing these practices are the ones criticising.”
The International Olympic Committee, meanwhile, has said it will not investigate Infantino for any possible breaches of political neutrality, stating that a complaint from the human rights campaign group FairSquare falls outside the jurisdiction of its ethics commission.
A Call to ‘Show Some Love’
Infantino’s advice to his opponents was to “show some love” and “respect” to a tournament where “people came together as families, as fans, as one.” He wrote that critics had been so “consumed by hate and criticism” that they missed the emotions, the celebrations, and the families brought together by the game. “While they celebrated, you were busy planting seeds of hate. Our world needs love, not hate; tolerance, not division; celebration, not mourning,” he said.
“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 continued, “because only our beautiful game can deliver such an extraordinary show, a show where everyone becomes one and reconnects as humans.” He closed by saying he was “incredibly proud, as Fifa President, to have contributed, even a little, to this show. It’s a great feeling.”
