FIFA President Gianni Infantino this Wednesday classified the 2026 World Cup as a “moment of joy and celebration”in an intervention marked by references to the controversies that precede the start of the competition, co-organized by Mexico, Canada and the United States.
On the eve of the opening game between Mexico and South Africa, in Azteca Stadium in Mexico Citythe top leader of world football was enthusiastic about the start of the competition, which takes place between June 11th and July 19th.
“It’s a moment of joy, of celebration. I’m very happy to see the ball rolling in just a few hours”said Infantino, during a press conference in which he answered questions related to the organization of the tournament and some political topics associated with the event.
Among the issues discussed was Iran’s participation, in a context of diplomatic tensions with the United States. Despite the restrictions imposed by the North American authorities on elements of the Iranian delegation, the FIFA president stated that he was “happy to see Iran at the World Cup”expressing hope in a “positive atmosphere” during the competition.
According to information provided by various international media, the Iranian team was forced to set up its base in Tijuana, in northern Mexico, after Washington granted visas to only part of the delegation, a few days before their debut in the competition.
Infantino also commented on the case of the Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artaninitially scheduled to join the batch of World Cup officials, but prevented from entering the United States. The US State Department justified the decision with alleged links to individuals suspected of belonging to terrorist organizations, a situation that the FIFA official regretted.
“What happened to him is regrettable, but we don’t control everything”stated the director, recognizing the limits of FIFA’s actions in the face of sovereign government decisions.
Another of the topics covered was the situation of the French sports journalist Christophe Gleizescurrently detained in Algeria. Infantino expressed hope that the reporter could benefit from a presidential pardon and still be able to follow the competition.
“I sincerely hope that, in a great act of humanity, he receives a presidential pardon and that he can even join us during the World Cup”he declared.
The 2026 World Cup will be marked by an unprecedented format, with 48 teams participating for the first time in the history of the competition. The group stage will consist of 12 groups, with the first two classified in each group, as well as the eight best third-placed.
