FIFA President Gianni Infantino launched a passionate defense of the 2026 World Cup on Monday, July 27, 2026, accusing media commentators and detractors of “spreading hate and false rumours” while insisting the historic tournament delivered “only joy and happiness.”
​In a fiery open letter published across FIFA’s official channels and his personal social media accounts, the 56-year-old sports chief took direct aim at global press coverage following the conclusion of the 48-team tournament, which was co-hosted across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States and culminated with Spain defeating Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
​Directly addressing journalists and online commentators, Infantino argued that negative reporting had obscured what he called an overwhelmingly safe and unifying event for global football.
​”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 organizing, working hard, and delivering the best show in the world,” Infantino wrote. “We experienced no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness!”
​He added a blunt rebuke for observers who focused on off-pitch controversies rather than the action on the pitch;”Sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all. While you divide, we unite.”
​Infantino’s comments follow weeks of intense media coverage surrounding several controversial aspects of the expanded tournament; The U.S. visa restrictions restricted entry for several supporters and officials, including Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan. Additionally, political tensions forced the Iranian national team to relocate its base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico.
Scrutiny intensified after FIFA intervened to lift an automatic one-match ban on U.S. forward Folarin Balogun following discussions involving U.S. President Donald Trump.
The was heated disputes over officiating in knockout fixtures, alongside a post-match altercation between Spanish and Argentine players in the final, drew public criticism from several national team managers, including Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan.
​Addressing the officiating and disciplinary pushback, Infantino dismissed the complaints as standard occurrences within domestic leagues that received unfair international emphasis.
​”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,” Infantino stated. “It’s curious that the same countries employing these practices are the ones criticising.”
​Despite the external friction, FIFA highlighted unprecedented operational figures for the first-ever 48-nation, tri-host nation format.
Concluding his statement, Infantino urged journalists and critics to reconsider their perspective, calling on them to “take a moment to reflect, meditate, pray, or watch a football match” to better understand the global enthusiasm generated by the tournament.
