Infantino Hits Back at World Cup Critics: “You Missed the Joy”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has launched a scathing defence of his leadership and the 2026 World Cup, accusing critics of “spreading hate” and telling them to “meditate, pray or watch a football match” instead of focusing on negative coverage. The message, posted across 15 slides on his personal Instagram account and cross-posted to FIFA’s official account, reached more than 13 million followers combined.

Infantino’s statement came without a single press conference during or after the tournament. He instead used the Instagram essay to address controversies that had dogged the World Cup, including travel restrictions imposed on fans from Iran, Haiti, Senegal and Ivory Coast, the reversal of a red card for USMNT forward Folarin Balogun, and ongoing state-level investigations into FIFA’s ticketing practices.

What Infantino Said

In the post, Infantino wrote that the World Cup “celebrated humanity at its best,” citing billions of viewers and attendance by “virtually all global celebrities from music, movies, entertainment and sport.” He addressed critics directly: “To all of you who missed watching kids, babies, grandparents, and parents come together for the beautiful game, I say sorry that the matches are now over and sorry that you missed all that joy and togetherness. Sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all.”

He also wrote: “To those behind their pens and papers, behind their screens spreading hate and false rumors, 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 claimed the tournament experienced “no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness.” He thanked host countries, police forces and volunteers.

Controversies Overlooked

Infantino’s post did not mention several high-profile disputes that dominated the tournament’s narrative. The Athletic reported during the group stage that fans from Iran, Haiti, Senegal and Ivory Coast were hampered by U.S. travel bans imposed by the Trump administration. Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly told The Athletic: “I think that every team can have their people, so I don’t understand why people from Africa cannot have their people.”

FIFA’s Somali referee Omar Artan was also denied entry to the U.S. on the eve of the tournament, with a White House official alleging an “association with suspected members of terror organizations.” Iran’s national team captain Mehdi Taremi described the competition as a “disaster” because of visa and movement restrictions. Four of Iran’s 15 staff members — initially denied visas — were eventually allowed to travel after appealing to the State Department.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin claimed members of Iran’s traveling party had tried to sneak in a person with direct ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Iran Football Federation called that accusation “false, fabricated and entirely baseless.”

Balogun Red Card and Trump’s Role

A major flashpoint was the suspension of USMNT forward Folarin Balogun’s red card from the round-of-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Athletic reported that Balogun was made available for the round-of-16 match against Belgium after FIFA’s disciplinary committee suspended the sanction without explanation. President Donald Trump later said he had called Infantino to ask for the case to be reviewed.

The decision triggered widespread accusations of political interference. UEFA, the Belgian football federation, and dozens of European Union lawmakers publicly criticised FIFA. The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) announced plans to file a formal complaint over Trump’s role. NFF president Lise Klaveness confirmed the plans, following her federation’s backing of a December ethical complaint against Infantino’s decision to award Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.

Infantino addressed the Balogun case indirectly in his Instagram post, suggesting that “arguable referees’ decisions or ‘strange’ disciplinary rulings … are routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide.”

Ongoing Investigations

FIFA also faces investigations by the Attorneys General of New York, New Jersey, Texas and California over its ticketing prices for the World Cup. Additionally, a legal case has been brought against FIFA’s attempts to prevent Iranian fans from bringing the pre-revolutionary lion and sun flag into venues. Infantino’s post made no reference to either matter.

Key Facts

Why It Matters for a Football Audience

Infantino’s decision to bypass traditional press conferences and instead use Instagram as his primary channel reflects a growing trend in football governance — direct-to-fan messaging that sidesteps media scrutiny. For fans following the 2026 World Cup, the tournament’s legacy is now caught between Infantino’s claim of universal joy and a series of unresolved disputes over fairness, security, and political interference. The Balogun case, in particular, raises questions about FIFA’s disciplinary independence and the influence of host nations. Readers following the sport’s governance will want to track how the NFF complaint and the state-level investigations progress, as they could shape future World Cup hosting rules.

Source: The Athletic Football – “FIFA’s Gianni Infantino lashes out at critics for ‘spreading hate’ in wake of World Cup” – https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7472028/2026/07/26/world-cup-fifa-gianni-infantino-hate-critics/