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Report nowGianni Infantino rarely speaks at press conferences. But when he does, what he says usually sticks in people’s minds. Ahead of the World Cup kickoff, he is once again facing heavy criticism for his remarks.
“Today I feel gay,” said Gianni Infantino—who is not gay—ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, intending to show that everyone is welcome there. This is despite the fact that Qatar’s penal code prohibits homosexual acts and carries a sentence of several years in prison—and even the death penalty under certain circumstances.
Shortly before the start of the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., the FIFA president is now speaking again at one of his rare press conferences. And once again, he is facing a barrage of criticism for his remarks. In doing so, the head of the world governing body defends the high ticket prices and comments on the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was rejected by the U.S. Here’s what the international press thinks of the appearance:
The Athletic: “The thought occurred to me that perhaps it really is impossible; that the compromises, the friction, and the human cost have already crossed an invisible threshold; that once we get there, there will be no turning back from this explosive World Cup, which resembles a Death Star, no return to the time before the apocalypse. For Infantino, however, these are all just points for discussion, minor hurdles to be overcome on the path to our glorious FIFA future.”
Mediotiempo: “Although the 2026 World Cup is considered the most expensive in World Cup history, FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the ticket prices by noting that it is ‘a unique experience.’”
Récord: “There is only one day left until the start of the World Cup, yet there is no sense of widespread euphoria at any of the host cities. Protests in Mexico, raids against migrants in the United States, and shootings in Canada are shaping the run-up to the FIFA tournament. (...) In this context, the high ticket prices in particular have drawn fierce criticism, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino stood by his position justifying the prices.”
ESTO: “Gianni Infantino assured that he has no influence over geopolitical developments that fall outside FIFA’s jurisdiction.”
The Globe and Mail: “When the U.S. president uses soccer for his own purposes, the FIFA president usually plays along. The courting continues at the World Cup draw.”
The Independent: “Gianni Infantino’s Trump-like rambling is a chaotic start to the World Cup. (...) All of this only underscored how deeply entrenched Infantino is in Trump’s orbit, to the point where he actually sounds like him. He can say anything. Serious objections are not allowed. Infantino hasn’t held a proper press conference in three years, and one easily gets the impression that this is still the case.”
The Sun: “In stark contrast to his much-mocked ‘Today I feel gay’ speech ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the head of world soccer tried to portray FIFA as the good guys.”
Marca: “The U.S. president was the undisputed star of the draw. He looked like a baby at a christening, a woman at a wedding, and a dead man at a funeral. He accepted an award, gave a speech, and drew the balls. It’s ‘his’ World Cup. (...) 48 teams are participating, sparking a debate over whether that’s too many. Should the World Cup be accessible to everyone? Absolutely. Is it undignified for a team like Curaçao to lose 0–10 to Germany? Here, too, the answer is yes.”
El País: “The United States may not know much about soccer (its national team isn’t among the favorites), but it knows a thing or two about show business. A business in which Donald Trump is in his element.”
El Mundo: “Trump, Trump, and nothing but Trump. The star of Friday’s World Cup draw in Washington was neither soccer nor the ‘Group of Death,’ but the President of the United States. In this country, personalities like him are described as ‘larger-than-life,’ and the spectacle surrounding his persona and his obsessions has made it clear that the coming months will be entirely dominated by his presence.”
Blick: “The press conference ahead of the World Cup opening isn’t as spectacular or controversial as it was three and a half years ago in Qatar. Nevertheless, Gianni Infantino doesn’t hold back on praising his own work. (...) But unlike in 2022, when he tried to deliver an epic speech in Qatar, the Valais native refrained from excessive pathos.”
Tagesanzeiger: “Iran, tickets, and visas—no problem at all for Gianni Infantino.”
Welt: The World Cup is yet another example of the sad downward spiral soccer has taken under Gianni Infantino. The embarrassing pandering already evident in Qatar has sunk to a new low. Anger, horror, and disinterest are the result.
