Infantino Defends World Cup Record as US Lawmaker Demands Financial Disclosure

FIFA President Gianni Infantino issued a 15-slide message on Instagram on Sunday night, directly challenging critics and media outlets over the conduct of the World Cup. The post, which Infantino described as a response to those “busy planting seeds of hate,” asserted that the tournament experienced “zero incidents, zero hostility, zero violence.” This assertion stands in direct contradiction to reports of four deaths in Mexico City following Mexico’s round of 32 victory over Ecuador, and the death of South African midfielder Jayden Adams in Cape Town, which police are currently investigating.

Infantino’s statement also addressed the visa controversies that have dominated headlines, claiming that Iran entered the United States “without incident or conflict.” This claim ignores accounts from the Iranian coach, who described a five-hour security screening process, and reports that 11 federation members, including president Mehdi Taj, were denied entry. Furthermore, Infantino highlighted the millions of visas approved, overlooking high-profile denials such as that of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was barred over alleged associations with terrorist organisations, and Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey, who was prevented from entering Canada due to ongoing legal charges.

The post also touched upon disciplinary issues, specifically referencing the red card issued to Folarin Balogun. Infantino argued that subjective refereeing decisions are routine in major leagues and accused critics of hypocrisy. This defence comes despite significant backlash from European football leaders, including UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, whose organisation called the initial red card reversal an “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision” and subsequently boycotted the tournament final.

Beyond the social media defence, political scrutiny of FIFA’s operations in the United States has intensified. US Representative Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Infantino requesting detailed information on financial exchanges between FIFA and individuals connected to President Trump. The letter also demands visitor logs for FIFA’s offices in Miami and New York, noting that the New York office is located within Trump Tower. Raskin has further requested that Infantino appear before the committee to provide these details.

Infantino has not taken questions from reporters since the opening match press conference in Mexico City on June 10. During that session, he was described as defensive regarding issues such as high ticket prices and visa restrictions, initially urging the public to “chill, relax” before clarifying that he meant to trust the governing body’s behind-the-scenes efforts. The Athletic first reported the news of Representative Raskin’s letter, adding to the mounting pressure on FIFA to address allegations of racism, political tensions, and administrative opacity.