Fifa and the World Cup of shamelessness

The fundamental problem with demanding someone resign in shame has always been that it presumes that everyone feels shame and is bound by the limits of a shared humanity. And so as Gianni Infantino, surfaced in Mexico City on Wednesday afternoon, it was not to apologise or plead or even explain, but to brag and bluster.

“I don’t know who else, in these circumstances, which we cannot influence, obviously can make Iran come and play,” Fifa’s chief said, about himself, conveniently ignoring that while Iran’s players have been granted visas, 13 team officials have been denied them, including the Iranian football federation president and the team photographer. Some staff members have been granted 24-hour visas, meaning they must enter and leave the US on the same day, despite World Cup regulations dictating every team travels the day before each match. A few hours later, Fifa Peace Prize-winner Donald Trump promised, again, to “bomb the shit” out of Iran. 

Infantino also said “democracy is not an empty word,” which might be true, but it is a woefully misused one from a man elected unopposed twice. Here’s Gianni Infantino, 2017: “Teams who qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup. That is obvious.” Gianni Infantino, 2025: “Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the Fifa World Cup next year.” Gianni Infantino, last night: “In 2035, the Women’s World Cup will be in the UK. Would you find it normal that Fifa would dictate to the British government who to let in the country and who not to let in?” 

Maybe spending the past two years burnishing the seat of American power was never some grand play to wrangle Trump, to control the uncontrollable, but just because Infantino really loves power. 

Omar Artan, the Confederation of African Football’s men’s referee of the year, has been dropped from the Fifa officials’ list after being denied entry to the US, detained in a cell at Miami International Airport for 11 hours before being sent to Turkey. “It’s unfortunate what happened to Omar,” said Infantino. “But again, we don’t control everything. Maybe it’s good to just chill, relax.” 

Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York City mayor Rudy (also Trump’s former lawyer, until he was disbarred in July 2024) and owner of one of the all-time bizarre career paths – failed professional golfer, lackey in the first Trump administration, far-right shock-jock, attempted governor, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup – explained the decision by making vague accusations of Artan’s association with “bad actors”. Similarly, Iraq vice-captain Aymen Hussein was questioned for seven hours by US immigration, while the Senegal and Uzbekistan squads were invasively searched on the tarmac after landing in the US. DR Congo’s preparations were kiboshed by staff members travelling from the nation being forced to quarantine in Belgium for three weeks. For all it is easy and legitimate to criticise the Trump regime for this, it is only an issue because of Infantino’s kowtowing.

Meanwhile Thomas Partey, who will stand trial in the UK next June over seven allegations of rape and one of sexual assault by four different women, all of which he denies, has been granted a visa, as has a Cape Verdean player facing an ongoing sexual assault inquiry in New Zealand. Department of Homeland Security secretary Markwayne Mullin (actually his name) said “ICE will be out there every day”.

This World Cup seems intent on screaming at us from all angles that it is not for the fans, or football, or even the world. This has always been a lie told so autocrats and rogue states and mega-corporations can exploit what might be humanity’s greatest single source of community and goodwill and eyeballs, but no-one can even be bothered to keep up the facade anymore. What Infantino really confirmed is that sport has entered its post-sportswashing era, now just saying the thing. There will be no more ham-fistedly feigning tolerance or acceptance, just saying that today I feel you need to take a chill pill, today I don’t have to pretend to care about anyone outside my tax bracket. Just as it was for Vladimir Putin, as it will be for Mohammed bin Salman, this is an exercise in Trump saying look what I can get away with, laughing at everyone. 

The great question for fans is that as it becomes harder to care, as Fifa seemingly do everything they can to stop you from watching or feeling, do we have to care more? Can we remotely defend this thing? If everyone cannot watch, cannot participate, should we? Maybe the faith-in-humanity option is that people are so revulsed by the grim spectacle that they walk away, utilizing their capacity for shame. Or maybe it is, despite everything, persevering to find joy and unity and humanity, proclaiming that the only thing Infantino and Trump cannot strip and siphon off is our ability to feel.

Photograph by Hannah Peters /FIFA via Getty Images