Gianni Infantino was pressed in Mexico City on Tuesday over one of the most sensitive questions hanging over the 2026 FIFA World Cup: whether he regrets FIFA awarding the tournament to the United States. The FIFA president took part in a pre-tournament press conference just days before the World Cup was due to begin.
The timing of the exchange gave the question extra weight. The 2026 FIFA World Cup was scheduled to start this week, with the opening group-stage game set for Thursday at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Mexico was scheduled to play South Africa. It is a moment when every public appearance by FIFA’s top official is being watched for clues about how the tournament’s hosts will be judged once the first whistle blows.
Infantino’s brief appearance did not provide that clarity. He was asked directly whether he regrets FIFA awarding the United States this World Cup, but the response was not included in the material from the press conference. That leaves the key question from the room still open, even as the tournament is now on the doorstep.
The backdrop matters because this is not a routine media event. The press conference came during live updates ahead of the opening match, with Mexico set to stage the first game and the United States one of the countries tied to FIFA’s hosting decision. The question cuts to the heart of how the 2026 tournament will be remembered: not only for the games themselves, but for the choice that put North America at the center of the sport’s biggest event.
For now, the most important thing left from Mexico City is the unanswered part. Infantino was asked if he regretted the decision. The tournament begins Thursday at the Estadio Azteca, and the answer to that question is still the one the soccer world is waiting to hear.
