FIFA boss Infantino wishes Russia at World Cup 2026
« We want all countries to be able to play »: FIFA boss Infantino wants Russia at the World Cup
The Valais Gianni Infantino maintains contacts with US President Trump and Russia's dictator Putin. Now there are explosive developments in football boycott against Russia.
« Great! Great! » Gianni Infantino answered the question of the CH Media reporter, as was the case with Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington. Infantino beamed. He had just arrived at the World Economic Forum, coming from the US capital.
The FIFA President was part of the exclusive circle, which Trump received a personal invitation to the inauguration ceremony of January 20, 2025. The two men like each other. They had already met several times in Trump's first term. Infantino made it to the Oval Office. There he handed over a jersey to the US President with the number 26 and, of course, printed the name Trump.
Infantino in the Oval Office: In the first presidency of Trump, the 2026 World Cup was awarded to the USA.
At that time the football world was still okay for FIFA. The World Cup in Russia 2018 was a success. FIFA did not bother that Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin made it a propaganda show. He was repeatedly on the side of Infantino. Particularly media -effective in the final game between France and Croatia (4: 2).
Donald Trump, whose country organizes the 2026 World Cup, also dreams of such a propaganda success together with Canada and Mexico, to which he explained the trade war. Infantino, who has now lived in the United States, does everything to fulfill Trump's dream. The four-week World Cup takes place in the middle of the US election campaign. The intermediate elections become a plebiscite via «Trump 2.0».
On Wednesday, FIFA announced that a large half-time show would be held for the first time in a World Cup final. Gianni Infantino already describes this as « the best celebration of all time » that the show will be « historical ». This is music in Trump's ears who loves superlatives and mega shows. Recently, he was the first US President to visit the Superbowl, the largest sporting event in the United States. The FIFA serves their half -time show as a model. Only the largest occur there: 2025 Kendrick Lamar, 2024 Usher and Alicia Keys, 2023 Rihanna.
« A World Cup in the sign of peace »
A FIFA insider says about “Switzerland at the weekend”, and considerations went much further. Infantino floats a “World Cup in the sign of peace”. He wanted to celebrate the reconciling power of football-assuming that the Ukraine War had ended. That would also be in the spirit of Trump, who celebrated this week in a speech before the congress as a peace pent.
In the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, the question has been discussed in the past few days: What happens to the exclusion of Russia from FIFA competitions should a peace agreement be reached in the near future? Is Russia returning to the World Cup?
Repeated contacts: Gianni Infantino with Russia's President Vladimir Putin, here at the final of the World Cup in Russia 2018.
FIFA and the European Football Association UEFA had excluded Russia from the tournaments after the attack on Ukraine. The International Sports Arbitration Court CAS confirmed the decision and rejected a complaint by Russia. The argument of FIFA and UEFA supported: the exclusion was necessary to ensure the “security and integrity” of the competitions.
In the judgment, however, it is also possible to return to Russia – if FIFA and UEFA came to the end that the political situation had sufficiently stabilized.
According to the reliable sources from the Zurich FIFA headquarters, Gianni Infantino thinks a ceasefire or a « peace deal » as a reason to allow Russia. This would be « sufficient political stabilization ».
Leave out statements in Belfast
Does the Valais FIFA President prepare the terrain for a return of the outlawed country to the world stage of football? The FIFA media office does not comment on this. Instead, she sends quotes from Infantino, which he handed over a week ago in Belfast (Northern Ireland).
The annual meeting of the International Football Association Board took place there. Infantino was asked in connection with the peace negotiations whether he would speak to Putin. The FIFA President replied: « We all hope that the peace talks will be successful, because I think it is important that we support them. »
He also said: « As soon as peace is there, we will of course play our role. » Trump did not ask him whether Russia could take part in the World Cup again. But Infantino pursued an interesting sentence: « We want all countries to be able to play. »
In the UEFA there is a threat of sample test
This is Infantino's wish. But FIFA alone cannot get Russia back on the lawn. Because the qualification for the World Cup runs through the continental associations. Russia belongs to UEFA. According to insiders, this is critical of a rapid return of Russia. It was also individual member countries of UEFA who had initiated the boycott 2022.
In the case of an armistice, the UEFA would have a rice test, especially the associations of the Baltic States and Poland would be opposed. Officially, the UEFA only submits the following statement: The topic of Russia has so far not been brought up, « the UEFA » can currently « not comment on it. That could change soon. But the time is urging: Depending on the group, the first qualification games start in a few weeks.
