Football fans in Switzerland have taken to the streets to protest against FIFA, its president Gianni Infantino and what they describe as the growing commercialization of the sport. Demonstrators marched through Swiss streets chanting slogans including, “Against modern FIFA,” “Stop FIFA corruption,” and “Infantino out!”
Fans also chanted “Football belongs to the fans.”
The protest targeted the broader governance of world football under Infantino’s leadership, which critics say has prioritized commercial interests over fan welfare and grassroots football. Gianni Infantino was born on March 23, 1970, in Brig, Valais, Switzerland, to Italian immigrant parents. He holds both Swiss and Italian citizenship. He was elected FIFA president on February 26, 2016, at the FIFA Congress in Zurich, and has been re-elected in 2019 and 2023.
🇨🇭En Suiza salieron a marchar contra la FIFA e Infantino.
Los manifestantes protestaron contra la comercialización del deporte, la corrupción institucional, los arbitrajes, los horarios de los partidos, y los modelos de negocio modernos impuestos por la FIFA. pic.twitter.com/z95y5Pv63w
— 🥊𝕳 BARRAS DEL MUNDO ⚽🍺 (@Barras_LATAM) July 12, 2026
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Argentina-Egypt World Cup Controversy Continues: FIFA Defends VAR Decisions
Defending champions Argentina advanced to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals after a dramatic 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland at Kansas City Stadium on Saturday, 11 July 2026.
But Argentina’s match with Egypt remains a scandal.
FIFA has defended the refereeing and Video Assistant Referee (VAR)decisions in Argentina’s controversial 3-2 round-of-16 victory over Egypt at the 2026 World Cup, rejecting claims of bias and upholding the integrity of match officiating despite sustained criticism from the Egyptian Football Association and global football figures.
The Egyptian FA said it “cannot remain silent regarding the refereeing decisions” following the team’s 3-2 round-of-16 loss to Argentina at the World Cup, according to a statement issued after the match.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan and several players criticized the officiating after being left in disbelief as Argentina scored three unanswered goals in 13 minutes to pull off one of the biggest comebacks in World Cup history.
“The Egyptian Football Association cannot remain silent regarding the refereeing decisions witnessed during the match against Argentina as well as the failure to make appropriate use of the VAR system,” the EFA said in a statement.
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March Against FIFA President: Growing Backlash Against Infantino
The Swiss protest comes amid mounting criticism of the FIFA president from multiple quarters:
Norwegian FA Ethics Complaint: In June 2026, the Norwegian Football Federation endorsed a complaint against Infantino for violating rules of political neutrality, specifically challenging his presentation of the ‘FIFA Peace Prize’ to Donald Trump. NFF president Lise Klaveness called on FIFA to scrap the FIFA Peace Prize award to protect the organization’s political neutrality.
Fan Backlash at World Cup: During the 2026 World Cup, Belgian fans mocked Infantino with “Better Call Infantino” signs, protesting controversial refereeing decisions including the lifting of a USA suspension.
British Fans Criticism: In February 2026, Infantino apologized for controversial comments about British football supporters, which drew criticism from fan groups who urged him to focus on providing affordable tickets rather than “making cheap jokes”.
Human Rights Concerns: Activists have previously erected protest billboards in Infantino’s Swiss hometown of Brig, demanding FIFA compensate migrant workers for alleged human rights abuses at the Qatar World Cup.
Infantino Faced Legal Scrutiny In 2020
In July 2020, Swiss special federal prosecutors initiated a criminal inquiry into meetings between Infantino and Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber. The investigation centered on allegations of secrecy violations, abuse of office and aiding and abetting in relation to undisclosed meetings.
FIFA’s ethics committee cleared Infantino of corruption allegations on August 19, 2020, though he remained under investigation by Swiss authorities at that time.
Swiss prosecutors closed criminal proceedings against Infantino in October 2023, with no charges filed. A separate probe into allegations that Infantino fraudulently used a private jet was also dismissed by Swiss prosecutors.
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