FIFA's Gianni Infantino slams World Cup critics for 'spreading hate' - ESPN

What the report says

ESPN reports that FIFA president Gianni Infantino sharply criticized detractors of the 2026 World Cup, accusing them of being driven by hostility toward the tournament. According to the outlet’s snippet, Infantino said critics were “consumed by hate” and suggested they should step back through reflection, prayer or simply by watching football. The full article text was not available in the supplied material, so the specific setting of his remarks and the particular criticisms he was responding to could not be confirmed from the evidence provided.

The development matters because Infantino is the top official at world football’s governing body, and his public defense of the 2026 event signals FIFA’s sensitivity to scrutiny ahead of its next men’s World Cup. The tournament is scheduled to be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico and will be the first edition expanded to 48 teams, making it the largest World Cup in the competition’s history.

Beyond what ESPN reported, major World Cups often attract debate over cost, travel, infrastructure, governance, labor conditions, ticketing and the commercial priorities of FIFA and host nations. In that broader context, Infantino’s comments appear to frame criticism not as policy disagreement but as antagonism toward the sport’s showcase event. Without the full ESPN report, however, it is not possible to identify the critics he named, the venue of his comments, or whether FIFA addressed any specific concerns about the 2026 tournament.