Politics
Protests, political row, and record crowds mark 2026 World Cup
July 13, 2026 at 08:56 PM
Coverage
3 reports · 1 in Arabic, 2 in English · over 56 hours
MAMasrawy
"ارحل يا إنفانتينو".. احتجاجات غاضبة تهز سويسرا ضد الفيفا (فيديو)
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AJAl Jazeera English
Politics, refereeing, prices: The biggest controversies of 2026 World Cup
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TGThe Guardian
‘A brilliant reprieve, a unifying force’: America falls in love with World Cup
(opens the publisher’s site)The tournament has drawn record US attendance and viewership while facing protests against FIFA, a political intervention on a red-card ban, and ticket price controversies.
- Thousands protested in Switzerland against FIFA president Gianni Infantino, demanding his resignation over corruption and the commercialization of football.
- FIFA suspended a red-card ban for USA striker Folarin Balogun after US President Donald Trump urged Infantino to review the case, drawing condemnation from UEFA.
- FIFA had nearly 1,200 category two tickets for the final priced at $7,380 each and faces subpoenas from US states over ticket pricing and seat location accuracy.
- The tournament averaged 64,511 fans per match with 99.7% stadium occupancy, and the USMNT's round-of-16 loss drew 33 million average viewers on Fox.