Calls to sack FIFA President Gianni Infantino mount as World Cup 2026 is tarnished

Politics and favouritism should never be allowed to taint an august and world-recognised institution.

World Cup 2026, held in America, Canada and Mexico, was a success but will forever be remembered for the accusations levelled at FIFA and its President, who has served the world football body since 2016.

When President Trump called FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and asked him to overrule a red card given to US player Folarin Balogun, which would see him suspended for the last 16 game against Belgium, and he did so, he sullied the reputation of both himself and the institution he heads irreparably. Everyone knew it was wrong and called into question FIFA’s integrity.  

Balogun stepped on the right ankle of Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic, forcing the twisting of his foot in the US’s round of 32 match, which it won 2-0. The foul was a definite red card.

Then President Trump takes it upon himself to announce he knows sports and it was not a red card. He further added that the U.S. needs its best players and besides the tournament is being hosted in America.

“So I saw the play, and I’m a person who loves sports and was a good athlete. I understand sports very well. That wasn’t a foul; that wasn’t an infraction. That was two guys running full speed who happened to crash into each other. This referee was a little bit suspect if you check his past. If you like, I will provide you with his past. He made a call no one could believe.

“ I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul. He’s one of our best players, and he gave him a red card. I didn’t know what that meant. Yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. Balogun didn’t do anything wrong, and he’s our best player or one of our best players.”

This sets a dangerous precedent for interference in football and other sports.

When Infantino reversed that red card, it was plain to see the game of world football is determined by power and politics, not fairness and rules. The Big Man speaks, and you have to comply.

From them, the floodgates of suspicion and conspiracy theories were wide open. Every decision was questioned. The tournament was sullied. It was said Argentina was favoured because FIFA wanted Messi in the final because he would draw greater attendances and TV views. Egypt complained about poor refereeing and unfairness when they had Argentina on the ropes at 2-0 and were thwarted by poor refereeing decisions.

Switzerland had Argentina pinned down, but the referee issued a harsh red card which changed the game, forcing Switzerland to continue with ten men. 

Argentina came back to beat England 2-1, and after the game Argentina held up political banners clearly breaching FIFA rules. 

After the World Cup final against Spain, Argentina players decided to assault Spanish players in a brawl that erupted on the pitch. Not a good image for children to see. FIFA is yet to take action.

Spain won the World Cup, beating Argentina 1-0. At the medal and trophy ceremony, Argentina players turned their backs on the victorious Spanish players while they were getting awarded and went to commiserate with the Argentinian fans. Very disrespectful, but FIFA did not call them out. 

Here’s what American YouTube broadcaster Megyn Kelly had to say, which sums up America’s attitude and its “might is right” mindset.

“It was a bullshit call (Balogun), and our guy ( Trump) intervened. He is a lot more powerful than most, so too bad Belgium; try being more powerful and perhaps your guy will have sway too. I’m sorry you are small and have no international power, but that’s not my problem.”

If the U.S. went on to beat Belgium, the whole World Cup would have been thrown into disorder, and the blame for that would lie with Infantino. No one would have believed in the officiating or FIFA’s administration. The whole thing would be deemed phoney. 

For many years now, FIFA  has been regarded as a corrupt organisation. One can recall the controversies surrounding former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Trinidadian football official Jack Warner. As many as 40 FIFA officials were indicted for racketeering and corruption a decade ago. 

With FIFA having that reputation, one would have thought efforts would be made to clean up its act, but no, World Cup 2026 was sullied by scandal under Infantino’s watch.

Some say he was too obsequious when it came to Trump. That his servile bootlicking subservience further destroyed FIFA’s reputation. Never has a global sport been dictated so obviously by a head of government. The President of the United States managed to get a red card overturned, a card shown to a U.S. player. Now that’s blatant.

How can parents tell their kids to play fair and by the rules?

This political lobbying has hurt the game and questions FIFA’s integrity.

It has been said that the FIFA President is too preoccupied with making money and not focused on the integrity of the game. 

The World Cup for years was a 32-team competition. Then in 2026 that increased to 48, and now Infantino wants to take it to 64 teams in 2030 to make more money.

This will dilute the tournament. The World Cup should be about the best teams, not all and sundry. The qualifying rounds should determine quality and who has what it takes to make it to a World Cup. Next thing you know, Infantino will want Vatican City playing Spain in the Group stage. 

Infantino seems to want the “Americanisation” of football. Water breaks in air-conditioned stadiums, half-time shows that go on for half an hour, which feature dancing girls and dancing bears. AI graphics every 15 minutes, bigger goals for more scoring. 

Let’s stick to the fundamentals. Why ruin a fantastic game that we all know and understand? Infantino must guard against devaluing the World Cup. Audiences want to see good and fair football. World Cup 2026, despite technology, was marred by some terrible decisions, unlike previous World Cups. How can that be? 

Now the calls grow louder for Infantino to step down as President of FIFA because of the furore surrounding World Cup 2026 and Infantino’s plans to fundamentally change the number of teams participating in the greatest sporting event on earth.

The President of Spain’s La Ligua Javier Tebas  has denounced Infantino’s plans and sees him as a destructive force who is damaging world football. Many share his view.

“ FIFA is destroying the football identity which generates tens of thousands of jobs for an event that lasts 40 days and to which only a minority of players go.

“We need fewer national teams and more protection for national football at all levels. They don’t realise; they decide irresponsibly.” 

Infantino is expected to serve a fourth term as FIFA President when the congress is held in March 2027. But the La Liga boss thinks Infantino should step aside after the shambles and ignominy of World Cup 2026.

“In my opinion, Infantino should resign. I think he has had his day. But he has the support of the system, of the federations; there is not much more to add, right?

“ There is no opposition candidate; no one wants to present themselves to lose. This is the system, and it is a system that is sick at the source.

“ In these days here in America, I have heard many people against Infantino who do not agree with what he does. They say it but then do nothing. I don;t know if silence or complicity is worse, because those who are silent are perfectly aware of the damage that football is suffering.

“ The overturning of the American player’s suspension is something of absolute gravity. They were lucky because Belgium eliminated the USA in the round of 16; otherwise a case could have been made that could have cost Infantino his job. Since Belgium won, they managed to bury the thing. But these things are only the tip of the iceberg.

“FIFA fixes things as it wants, for what it wants, for its interests, certainly not for football, and so if they need 27 minutes of interval they do it. Hydration breaks are a lie.

“We have them in La Liga but when it’s really hot. Here, the stadiums in Dallas, Los Angeles and Atlanta had air conditioning- I had to put on a sweater in the stands. It was a lie, a break for advertising,” said Tebas. 

It would be better to have the World Cup in one country rather than spread out over three; that way a nation can galvanise around the event. It would be better for the players and staff and save them from flying across different countries. Furthermore, a country’s economy would stand to benefit more rather than share the spoils. Spain is perfectly capable of hosting a World Cup. 

Even former FIFA President Sepp Blatter is calling for Gianni Infantino’s removal and a new leadership team installed to restore the integrity of the game.

Blatter wrote: “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match-the question is unavoidable: Quo Vadis FIFA? 

“Football must never become a playground for political power.”

Blatter went on to say that neither FIFA nor Infantino is credible and that the World Cup has been discredited.

“The longest World Cup has come to an end with the right champions. But on the way to the final whistle, the tournament had lost its credibility due to political interference.  Politics must not be allowed to overshadow the game. Now it is up to the fans, players and national associations to reclaim football and bring it back to its roots under new leadership.”

Speaking to Italy’s ” La Gazzetta dello Sport” Javier Tebas cautioned: “ The football industry is not just the World Cup. Not everything can revolve around the World Cup. It is national competitions that support this sport.”

Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit, who managed Chelsea and Newcastle, was critical of Infantino before World Cup 2026 got underway. It was said that he blamed Infantino for immigration issues surrounding the tournament, which was untrue. That was not his issue.

Gullit said: “I have stayed quiet for a long time because I wanted to judge the World Cup on football matters. But the deeper we get into the preparations, the more it becomes clear that football is no longer the main story. For that reason, I believe that Gianni Infantino should seriously consider stepping  down as FIFA President.

“ A World Cup should unite people. Instead, this tournament is becoming a symbol of division, political disputes, travel restrictions and administrative failures.”

Gullit did not pull his punches, and many share his sentiment. 

He continued: “ The organisation’s first responsibility is to protect the integrity and accessibility of the competition. Leadership is not about appearing in photographs with politicians or celebrating commercial success. Leadership is about taking responsibility when things go wrong. That is why I believe Mr. Infantino must ask himself whether he is still the right person to lead world football.

“The football world deserves answers, accountability and leadership. If those cannot be provided under the current administration, then perhaps the time has come for new leadership at FIFA.

“The World Cup belongs to the world not to governments, political interests or football administrators. It belongs to the players, the referees and the supporters.”