FIFA president Gianni Infantino has accused critics of the 2026 World Cup of spreading hate and false narratives, defending the tournament in an open letter published this week as a success built on unity, safety and inclusion.
Infantino, 56, said detractors had overlooked the joy experienced by millions of fans who watched the tournament, won by Spain and staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Spain beat Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
“You were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all,” Infantino said.
“To those behind their pens and papers, behind their screens spreading hate and false rumours, I want to say that while you are sitting behind, we at FIFA are on the front lines organising, working hard, and delivering the best show in the world,” he added. “We experienced no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness!”
Criticism during the tournament
FIFA faced sustained criticism throughout the World Cup over several issues, including U.S. visa restrictions that affected supporters and officials from a number of competing nations. Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was barred from entering the United States despite holding a valid visa, one of the cases most widely cited by critics of the tournament’s handling of travel arrangements.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has lashed out against scrutiny and criticism of his leadership and his organization, accusing critics of “spreading hate” and telling them to “meditate, pray or watch a football match” instead of spending their energy “hating” FIFA.
The message… pic.twitter.com/Rrt8uz6sqK
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) July 27, 2026
Infantino’s letter also followed scrutiny of FIFA’s decision in the Folarin Balogun disciplinary case. The United States forward received a red card and an automatic one-match ban after a challenge on Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemović on July 1. Days later, FIFA suspended the ban for a one-year probationary period, citing Article 27 of its disciplinary code, after U.S. President Donald Trump called Infantino to ask for a review. Belgium’s football federation, whose team faced the U.S. in the next round, said it was “astonished” by the reversal.
Officiating decisions in Argentina’s round-of-16 match against Egypt also drew widespread debate. Argentina overturned a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 after a disallowed Egyptian goal and a penalty appeal that was not reviewed by VAR. Egypt’s football federation filed a formal complaint against French referee François Letexier. FIFA’s head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, later rejected allegations of bias, saying match officials had operated independently.
Infantino did not refer to specific cases by name in his letter, but argued that many of the decisions criticised during the tournament were common in competitions worldwide.
“Potentially mistaken red or yellow cards or subsequent decisions not to ban players in certain situations are routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide,” he said. “It’s curious that the same countries employing these practices are the ones criticising.”
Visa controversies
Infantino pointed to the participation of countries facing political tension, domestic crisis and health challenges as evidence, in his view, of football’s ability to transcend division. Iran competed at the tournament despite ongoing tensions with the United States. Coverage of the tournament’s visa and travel issues also touched on Haiti’s domestic crisis and an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Iran entered the United States without incident or conflict. The Iranian team received visas to enter because football is about peace. It’s not about politics,” Infantino said. “Countries facing serious health issues or other challenges were granted visas.”
He added: “When football brought Haiti to the world, a country that many cannot or choose not to visit, it might be time to set aside your pens and keyboards and show some respect to the teams that played.”
FIFA has not announced any changes to its handling of visa cases, disciplinary rulings or officiating as a result of the criticism raised during the tournament.
