Infantino lavishes praise on Trump: 'Thank you for the greatest event in the history of mankind'

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FT Desk

Ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has taken the time to shower United States President Donald Trump with praise for America's hosting of the tournament.

While supporters have enjoyed most of the action on the pitch, the 2026 World Cup has been a tournament shrouded in controversy, even before it began.

The USA's immigration policy meant that thousands of football fans were not allowed in North America to support their nation, while a Somalian referee, due to officiate World Cup matches, was also denied a visa.

There's also the treatment of the Iran squad following the conflict between the USA and Iran as the Iranian squad was forced to relocate their base to Mexico for their time at the tournament and only given 24-hour visas to enter the US for their scheduled fixtures.

During the tournament, the most controversial incident involved Trump personally calling Infantino to request that USA striker Folarin Balogun's suspension for a match against Belgium be lifted to allow him to play. Infantino claims the decision was that of the official FIFA disciplinary committee, but Trump still got his wish regardless.

There is, of course, Infantino's decision to give the US President the inaugural FIFA 'Peace Prize' despite Trump's foreign policy and frequent military action in other countries.

"The greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has witnessed" 👀

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has praised the 2026 World Cup and thanked Donald Trump for his contribution to the tournament 💬 pic.twitter.com/s80IotfPfH

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 18, 2026

Infantino has always brushed off criticism of the above and focused on the on-pitch success of the World Cup while speaking at a press conference on Friday.

"This has not just been and is not just the greatest World Cup of all time, it is the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed and seen," The FIFA President said, looking towards Trump standing beside him.

"And we are all part of it. And for this, I thank you very much, Mr President. Thanks for having us here. There is one more game to go. Well, two more games, the bronze medal tomorrow, and between England and France, of course, and the great final between Argentina and Spain.

"One country will be the world champion, but the world has already won. America has won. FIFA has won. And uniting the world in such a way as we did this summer... giving unforgettable experiences and memories to millions, to billions, of people all over the world is something that we will take with us and cherish forever.

"Thank you, Mr President."

FIFA President Infantino: “We’ve been the official provider of happiness to humanity for 120 years. So we bring joy and happiness.”

Trump: “As long as your team doesn’t lose.”

Infantino: “As long as the team doesn’t lose, of course.”

Trump: “Then they’re not very happy.” pic.twitter.com/iBEa47w7mE

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 18, 2026

FIFA also received major criticism for the price of World Cup match tickets but that hasn't stopped this tournament from being the most attended of all time, with 6.7 million fans in attendance so far in the US, Canada and Mexico, though the 2026 edition of the competition does have significantly more matches.

"We hear it many times, don't we, that we live in a divided world, that we live in an aggressive world, that there are so many things that divide us, that create us problems," Infantino said at the United Nations earlier on Friday.

"But we know as well, and if there is one thing, if there is one thing that this World Cup has shown us and is showing us, we know that there are many more things that bring us together than things that divide us.

"We have seen millions of people coming together in the last month and a half to the United States, to Canada and to Mexico, but in every corner of the world, coming together in a peaceful way, in a joyful way, wanting to spend time together and wanting to celebrate a moment of community. This is the strongest message ever and this is the message on which we have to build our future - a future of community and a future of unity."

European Parliament to investigate Infantino

Infantino has come under severe scrutiny over the past few weeks due to the actions of football's governing body in relation to the Balogun saga at the World Cup.

He could be the subject of an investigation by the European Parliament, reports ESPN.

In a joint statement, European Parliament members Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters, and Niels Fuglsang condemned FIFA's decision to alter its policy on red-card suspensions during the tournament, calling the move "a disgrace and a perversion of justice."

The three lawmakers have urged football associations across EU member states to press FIFA's Ethics Committee to examine Infantino's conduct. They want the inquiry to determine whether pressure from the Trump administration influenced the decision to overturn the suspension and to assess other possible violations of FIFA's political neutrality, including the awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize to Trump.

According to Andrews, Wolters and Fuglsang, 35 members of the European Parliament have signed the letter so far requesting the investigation.

"The beauty of sport is that it is based on impartial and transparent rules. When Infantino allows political pressure to determine who gets to play, this sense of fairness goes out the window," the trio said.

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FT Desk

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