The 2026 World Cup is officially in the books, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino isn’t looking back with pure joy. In one of his first comments since the final whistle, Infantino tore into critics in a lengthy social media post, accusing them of “spreading hate” throughout the event. It was a pretty wild statement, to say the least.
Infantino’s Beef With The Haters
Infantino kicked off his statement by calling out those who “missed our beautiful game.” He didn’t hold back, saying he was “sorry that you missed all that joy and togetherness,” and “sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all.”
Then, he appeared to take a direct shot at journalists. He declared, “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 contrasted “hiding” with FIFA “exploring the streets of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, talking with fans, engaging with people, and ensuring everyone’s safety.” His message was clear: “While you divide, we unite.”
Unity, Iran, and ‘Arguable’ Ref Calls
Infantino went on to thank the host countries for providing a welcoming atmosphere, then doubled down on condemning critics, saying, “While they celebrated, you were busy planting seeds of hate.” He stressed that “Our world needs love, not hate; tolerance, not division; celebration, not mourning.” He even claimed FIFA “worked tirelessly to unite two countries at war,” pointing to “Iran entered the United States without incident or conflict.” For him, “It’s not about politics. Football is about unity, not division. Football is bigger than hate and discrimination.”
He also touched on “‘arguable’ referees’ decisions” and “‘strange’ disciplinary rulings.” He found it “curious that the same countries employing these practices are the onces criticising” when such calls are “routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide.” He finished his post with, “Much love to all.”
The whole thing? The article calls it a “curious way to address what, on many levels, was a successful World Cup.” Yeah, there was criticism about President Donald Trump’s involvement and US immigration policies, plus some alleged mishandling of player punishments, like with USMNT striker Folarin Balogun. But we also saw amazing videos of opposing fans getting embraced by US citizens and a record number of US fans tuning in. Seems like there was plenty to celebrate without focusing on “potential negatives.”
So, what are we left with? Despite a World Cup that brought in a record number of U.S. fans and showed countless videos of opposing fans being embraced by U.S. citizens, Infantino chose to zero in on the “potential negatives.” It’s a head-scratcher, really, given all the actual joy and unity he claimed to be championing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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