FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the 2026 FIFA World Cup against criticism, accusing detractors of "spreading hate and false rumours" while insisting the tournament was a success marked by safety, unity and celebration.
In an open letter published on Monday, Infantino urged critics to "reflect, meditate and pray," saying they had overlooked the positive impact of the competition.
He maintained that FIFA delivered "the best show in the world," with no violence or security incidents throughout the tournament.
The World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, faced scrutiny before and during the competition over high ticket prices, visa challenges, geopolitical tensions and concerns about extreme summer temperatures.
Iran's participation amid its conflict with the United States, Haiti's internal crisis and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo also raised questions over travel restrictions.
Infantino defended FIFA's handling of those issues, saying football helped bring people together despite political differences.
He noted that Iran's national team was granted visas to enter the United States and argued that millions of fans and participants travelled successfully, despite a small number of visa denials.
The FIFA president also rejected criticism of officiating and disciplinary decisions after controversy surrounding the lifting of a one-match suspension on United States striker Folarin Balogun.
The decision drew criticism from UEFA, which described the move as "unprecedented" and "unjustifiable."
Responding to those concerns, Infantino said disputed refereeing and disciplinary decisions are common in top football leagues around the world and questioned why countries where such practices occur were among FIFA's strongest critics.
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