World Cup Travel and Attendance

Gianni Infantino. The president of FIFA. Has embarked on an extensive 47. 373-mile journey during the first three weeks of the 2026 World Cup, according to ESPN. He began his tour at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on June 11, where the opening ceremony was held — the distance traveled was calculated as the crow flies between stadiums and locations.

Infantino attended the opening match, Mexico vs. South Africa, and made a short trip to Guadalajara on June 12 to watch South Korea’s 2-1 win over Czechia. He praised the host city and the 45,000 fans for their support. On June 13, he traveled to the San Francisco Bay Area to watch Qatar face off against Switzerland.

On June 12, Infantino was in Los Angeles to witness the U.S. team’s World Cup opener against Paraguay. During the event, he also met with singer Justin Bieber, according to ESPN.

Controversy Over Balogun’s Suspension

The FIFA president faced criticism after the suspension of U.S. forward Folarin Balogun was lifted just before the team’s Achtelfinal match against Belgium. The decision sparked a debate over the influence of political figures on sports decisions. U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly called Infantino to request the suspension be lifted, and the request was granted, according to TZ.

Stefan Effenberg, a former German national team player and current commentator, criticized both Trump and FIFA for the decision. He accused them of corruption, stating, “Dass die FIFA es dann in Person von Infantino und Collina noch umsetzt, diese beiden Personen müssen wir mit hineinnehmen, dann ist es Korruption,” according to TZ.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin also expressed strong disapproval of the decision, emphasizing the need for impartiality in sports administration.

Trump’s Involvement and FIFA’s Image

In a Fox News interview on the 24th, Infantino revealed that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to attend the 2026 World Cup final, which will be held on July 20 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, according to 경향신문. He stated, “I will watch the World Cup final with President Trump and present the trophy to the champions,” adding, “We are always together.”

Trump did not appear at the opening match on June 13 in Los Angeles, raising questions about his involvement in the event. Infantino’s announcement of Trump’s attendance at the final has drawn attention, particularly given the ongoing criticism of the Trump administration, according to 경향신문.

Infantino has long been criticized for his decision-making and business-focused approach to football governance. In the past four years, he has surrounded himself with football legends like Roberto Baggio, Hristo Stoichkov, Ronaldo Nazario, Kaká, and Del Piero in an effort to enhance his image and legitimize his policies, according to EL PAÍS.

His administration has been marked by a continued pursuit of expanding the global reach of football and building on the legacy of his predecessor, Joseph Blatter. The organization of the World Cups in South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and Qatar 2022 have all reflected a strategy of using the economic power of emerging economies to promote the sport, according to EL PAÍS.