Infantino tells world to 'chill' as chaotic press conference opens World Cup 2026

Gianni Infantino opened the World Cup 2026 with a press conference that generated more heat than light on Wednesday, telling journalists to “just chill” when questioned about the exclusion of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied a US visa after the Trump administration alleged links to “suspected members of terror organisations.” The FIFA president’s dismissive response drew immediate criticism ahead of the tournament’s opening match at the Azteca in Mexico City.

The press conference drew uncomfortable comparisons with Infantino’s notorious appearance before Qatar 2022, when he declared: “Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel [like] a migrant worker.” This time, the headline moment was a call for calm over a controversy that FIFA had done little to resolve — Artan’s absence representing one of several turbulent notes in the build-up to the tournament.

Infantino did take a moment to praise FIFA for what he called the “impossible” achievement of ensuring Iran’s participation in the competition, though the remark did little to shift attention from the Artan affair.

On the pitch, England rounded off their preparations with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in Orlando on Tuesday, though the match was delayed by an hour due to a storm. Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins all scored for Thomas Tuchel’s side, with Bukayo Saka coming off the bench despite recent injury concerns — a timely boost ahead of their tournament opener.

Anthony Gordon’s goal continued a run of form that has seen the Newcastle winger cement his place in England’s starting plans. Gordon stepped up to convert a penalty after Eberechi Eze’s shot was handled, underlining the confidence he has carried into the tournament.

With the opening ceremony and Mexico’s first match now imminent, the focus will shift from boardroom controversy to the football itself — though Infantino’s performance ensured the off-field noise will linger into the early days of the competition.