Infantino defends World Cup after row over visas and refereeing

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has launched a fresh defence of the World Cup, saying criticism of the tournament ignored what he described as a secure and trouble-free event and accusing detractors of spreading “hate and false rumours”.

In an open letter published on Monday and shared on his Instagram account and FIFA’s official channels, Infantino said critics should “take a moment to reflect, meditate, pray” after a competition he said brought “only joy and happiness”. He wrote, “Sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all.”

The FIFA chief said the event passed without major disorder, writing: “We experienced no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness!” He also defended the governing body’s role during a build-up overshadowed by concern over expensive tickets, geopolitical strains and fears of intense summer heat across hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Visa and travel criticism

One of the sharpest areas of scrutiny before and during the tournament was access to the United States. Iran’s involvement, against the backdrop of war with the United States, added to concern over visa and travel restrictions. Questions were also raised by Haiti’s domestic crisis and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States under President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration crackdown.

Infantino said FIFA had worked to ensure participation despite those tensions. “While you spread hatred, we worked tirelessly to unite two countries at war. Iran entered the United States without incident or conflict,” he wrote. He added, “The Iranian team received visas to enter because football is about peace. It’s not about politics.”

He also said, “Countries facing serious health issues or other challenges were granted visas,” before arguing that attention had focused on a limited number of refusals rather than the broader picture. “You mentioned the few people denied visas and overlooked the millions who were approved, from all parts of the world.”

Pushback over Iran and Balogun case

Infantino’s account differs sharply from the view expressed by members of Iran’s camp. Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said his side had been the “most oppressed” team at the World Cup, while striker Mehdi Taremi called the team’s treatment at the tournament a “disaster”.

The FIFA president also responded to criticism over officiating and disciplinary decisions after it emerged that Trump had personally asked him to review a one-match suspension imposed on US striker Folarin Balogun, clearing him to play against Belgium in the last 16.

UEFA was among those to object to the Balogun matter, calling it “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable” and saying it “crossed a red line”.

Infantino said complaints over some rulings were understandable but argued such controversies were hardly unusual in elite football. He wrote, “Your dissatisfaction with a few decisions made by the competent authorities is understandable, but please refer to public records: such decisions are common in some of the most important leagues.” He added that disputed refereeing calls and subsequent disciplinary outcomes were “routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide”, before saying: “It’s curious that the same countries employing these practices are the ones criticising.”