2026 World Cup: Between freedom of expression and the beautiful game

Press-Freedom Organisations · 2026-06-12 · EU · verified record

Themes: Media & broadcasting · Online platforms

Ecosystems: EU Media Freedom Act

“We don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth. We have to respect that we are not kings of the world, who can rule over governments and police forces.” These were the words of FIFA president Gianni Infantino at a press conference ahead of the World Cup which has started this week. Infantino was responding to criticism of FIFA’s organisation of football’s greatest tournament, which is being held in the USA, Mexico and Canada. Historically, FIFA has sought to present football as neutral territory, distant from ideological and partisan disputes. The World Cup started out as a symbol of glob

“We don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth. We have to respect that we are not kings of the world, who can rule over governments and police forces.” These were the words of FIFA president Gianni Infantino at a press conference ahead of the World Cup which has started this week. Infantino wa

Source content © Press-Freedom Organisations — served per the publisher's reuse terms. Vellum metadata & summary © Vellum AI Group Ltd. Reuse & rights.