Infantino and the FIFA fiasco at the 2026 World Cup: a more

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has drawn sharp criticism for his role in hosting the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. His close ties with former US President Donald Trump and a certain laxity in defending the rights of players and fans marred this major sporting event.

Present at Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony at the White House, Infantino quickly showed that he had a close relationship with the political figure. Soon after, noting Trump's dissatisfaction with not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, the FIFA boss created a trophy with a pompous name but empty of content to award to Trump, hailing his so-called promotion of peace and unity in the world.

But the case doesn't end there. During the 2026 World Cup, several incidents agitated the competition. The Iran team was forced to stay less than 24 hours in the American city where they were to play, having to stay in Mexico, a sign of unequal treatment. In addition, Omar Artan, a Somali referee recognized as one of the best in the world, was excluded from the tournament without sufficient explanations, which cast doubt on the transparency of the management

arbitral.

Controversial measures at the US borders have also affected some players and fans, hindering access to the country despite visas and tickets in good standing, while the excessive price of seats to attend matches has caused widespread outrage. Faced with these dysfunctions, FIFA remained silent, visibly prioritizing American interests and the relationship with Trump rather than defending the principles of world football.

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The ultimate crisis came with the suspension of Falorin Balogun, attacker of the United States selection. Infantino lifted the sanction of a match following a personal phone call from Donald Trump, an unprecedented favor that shocked the global football community. Only the victory of Belgium, determined to play despite this injustice, was able to

mitigate the general anger.

This episode highlighted an Infantino considered by many as an influenceable man, even complicit in the political excesses around the World Cup. UEFA itself has criticised this decision, denouncing its negative impact on the integrity of the sport.

In the face of these revelations, Gianni Infantino's credibility is seriously questioned. His continuation at the head of FIFA after such a fiasco seems unlikely in the eyes of many, even if he does not plan to resign.

This 2026 World Cup will certainly go down in history, but not for the right reasons. Between political concessions, scandals and mismanagement, it is considered one of the most poorly organized of this century, tarnishing the prestige of football's biggest competition.

In conclusion, if there is no doubt that Donald Trump is responsible for this crisis, it is Gianni Infantino who bears the heavy burden of having allowed world football to be exploited at the highest level. An episode that calls for a profound reform of FIFA's governance.