ALBAWABA - A BBC reporter recently went viral after confronting FIFA President Gianni Infantino about the state of the 2026 World Cup following the U.S.'s treatment of attending football teams, officials, and participants.
During the conference in New Mexico, the reporter asked, "Are you embarrassed by what’s happening at this World Cup, and have you lost control of the tournament?" In response, Infantino used the UK's 2035 FIFA Women's World Cup as an example to explain that FIFA can't dictate to a government who to admit to the country."
Reporter confronts FIFA’s Infantino on the state of World Cup 2026
Infantino also spoke out against the treatment of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the U.S. despite being named as the best referee in Africa by the Confederation of African Football in 2025.
He added, "Unfortunately, our world is a very aggressive world. Respect must be shown to the decisions that have been made."
FIFA World Cup 2026 has come under fire recently due to the U.S.'s treatment of attending football teams, officials, and participants. Among those affected were Somali referee Omar Artan, Iraqi player Ayman Hussein, and Iranian team photographer Talal Salah, as well as the national teams of Senegal, Uzbekistan, and Iran.
The hashtag #BoycottWorldCup2026 also flooded social media as internet users urged football fans to boycott the event.
