FIFA president Gianni Infantino has launched a blistering assault on the media for “spreading hate and false rumours” and highlighted the success of the 2026 World Cup.
Infantino lashed out at these “behind their pens and papers, behind their screens” and lauded his organisation for “delivering probably the most excellent World Cup”.
The World Cup got here to an finish final weekend with Spain beating Argentina 1-0 in a final marred by the South Americans’ appalling behaviour in New Jersey.
It was a disappointing finish to a event that featured loads of controversies, from Iran’s restricted motion round the US to the choice to droop a pink card handed out to US striker Folarin Balogun following the intervention of Donald Trump.
In a statement on FIFA’s website, Infantino wrote: “To everybody who missed our stunning recreation, the feelings, the celebrations, the laughter, the crying, the deception, and the enjoyment. To all of you who missed watching youngsters, infants, grandparents, and fogeys come collectively for the attractive recreation, I apologize that the matches are actually over and sorry that you just missed all that pleasure and togetherness. Sorry that you just had been so consumed by hate and criticism that you just missed all of it.
“To these behind their pens and papers, behind their screens spreading hate and false rumours, I wish to say that while you’re sitting behind, we at FIFA are on the entrance traces organising, working onerous, and delivering one of the best present on this planet.
“When you divide, we unite. Each metropolis was full of followers from throughout the globe. Whereas they celebrated, you had been busy planting seeds of hate.”
Infantino claims FIFA united Iran and the USA
Iran exited on the group stage and, afterwards, complained of being “oppressed” following a US ruling that meant they might solely fly into the nation from their coaching base in Mexico the day earlier than a recreation after which go away instantly after.
The US has been bombing Iran for a number of months and the nation’s homeland safety secretary Markwayne Mullin was delighted after they failed to succeed in the spherical of 32.
On the time he mentioned: “I used to be so glad after we had been capable of pull their visas and mentioned they might go away US soil, and I would’ve sung a tune or two or possibly even danced a cheerful dance. I’m very glad they’re going again as a result of there wasn’t a single crew that we handled greater than them.”
On Iran, Infantino mentioned: “When you [the media] unfold hatred, we labored tirelessly to unite two nations at struggle. Iran entered the US with out incident or battle. When the Iranian crew started taking part in, all of the chants in opposition to them was a single tune. The followers turned the nation, they turned the crew, they usually stood behind Workforce Melli. That is the ability of soccer. The Iranian crew acquired visas to enter as a result of soccer is about peace. It’s not about politics. Soccer is about unity, not division. Soccer is larger than hate and discrimination.”
Infantino accuses critics of hypocrisy over Balogun
Infantino additionally sought to defend the fiasco surrounding Balogun, who remained the one participant on the event to have his pink card suspended by FIFA’s disciplinary committee. Trump later admitted to calling Infantino and asking for the case to be reviewed in a bid to allow the participant to face Belgium within the spherical of 16.
Trump, who was awarded FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize final December, received his method and Balogun performed within the States’ 4-1 defeat to the Purple Devils.
The Norwegian Soccer Federation is about to make a proper criticism over the matter however Infantino claims it was regular process.
He mentioned: “Your dissatisfaction with a couple of choices made by the competent authorities is comprehensible, however please discuss with public information: such choices are widespread in a number of the most necessary leagues.
“Certainly, ‘debatable’ referees’ choices or ‘unusual’ disciplinary rulings equivalent to as an example doubtlessly mistaken pink or yellow playing cards or subsequent choices to not ban gamers in sure conditions are routine and broadly accepted in a number of the greatest leagues worldwide.
“It’s curious that the identical nations using these practices are those criticising.”
FIFA have discovered peace – Infantino
There have been additionally accusations Lionel Messi’s Argentina got a number of beneficial choices as they seemed to retain the trophy they gained in Qatar in 2022.
Infantino remained unmoved and delivered one other parting shot on the media, including: “To these spending their time and power hating us, please take a second to replicate, meditate, pray, or watch a soccer match and actually observe the faces, the eyes, the feelings.
“As a result of solely our stunning recreation can ship such a unprecedented present, a present the place everybody turns into one and reconnects as people.
“To the pens and papers, to all of the screens, could you discover love and peace the place the individuals behind you couldn’t.
“Might you discover peace; we at FIFA have discovered ours and we ship it, by delivering probably the most excellent FIFA World Cup. Might soccer rise above all hate.”
