2026 World Cup: Infantino Mocks Italy; Government Steps In

FIFA President Gianni Infantino mocks Italy for failing to qualify for the World Cup, sparking a political controversy. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi himself weighed in on the matter on the sidelines of an event in Rome: “Infantino? I need to speak with him because it’s one thing to read reports and another to discuss it directly. I prefer to verify the facts first and then express my opinion. Will I speak with him? I think and truly hope so, despite his busy schedule. I’ll try to do so because I’m interested in hearing his thoughts directly, since I didn’t like the words that were reported.”

Infantino’s remarks sparked bipartisan reactions in Parliament: Five Star Movement MP Gaetano Amato spoke out harshly. “Does Gianni Infantino like to make jokes about Italy not qualifying for the World Cup? He should remember that he is not speaking as a fan at a bar counter, but as FIFA president. A role he holds thanks in part to the support of the Italian federation and one that should demand balance, respect, and a sense of institutional duty. We are the first to be ashamed of our national team’s decline and the disaster Italian soccer is in; we don’t need his cheap jokes to realize that. Mocking Italy is an exercise in rare pettiness, especially from someone who is supposed to represent the entire world of soccer,” he wrote on social media.

Thus said Gasparri of Forza Italia: “The FIFA president, as an Italian by birth, should have more respect for the history of four-time world champions. The childish irony about the number of teams doesn’t affect today’s Federation: it offends Pozzo, Bearzot, and generations of champions and fans. After this difficult period in sports, Italian soccer will continue to be a major player, just as it has been for decades.”

Here is Infantino’s comment on Brazilian TV station CazéTV: “First we need to see how this World Cup with 48 national teams goes. It’s already a very big event. We’ve discussed a World Cup with 64 teams, with even broader global participation. It was also discussed in the FIFA Council, but for now let’s enjoy this 48-team edition. Maybe with 64 teams, Italy will manage to qualify. Who knows, maybe we should go up to 208…”.