FIFA President Infantino Jokes About Italy's World Cup Absence, Sparks Backlash
FIFA President Gianni Infantino sparked controversy in Italy by joking during a CazéTV interview that Italy might only qualify for the World Cup if the tournament expands to 64 or even 228 teams. Italy has missed three consecutive World Cups (2018, 2022, 2026), losing a playoff to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Italian officials, including Sports Minister Andrea Abodi and MP Gaetano Amato, criticized the remarks as disrespectful and petty. Infantino clarified the expansion idea was merely discussed within the FIFA Council.
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Per Mertesacker Mocks Italy After Third Consecutive World Cup Miss
German football expert Per Mertesacker, during a ZDF broadcast on June 26, 2026, mocked Italy for failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, their third consecutive absence. Mertesacker stated that Italy 'doesn't deserve to be talked about,' and co-expert Christoph Kramer agreed. The four-time world champion Italy finished second in qualifying behind Norway, suffering two defeats to Erling Haaland's team, including a 1-4 loss at San Siro. They then lost in a dramatic penalty shootout to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the playoffs. Coach Gennaro Gattuso was fired shortly after, calling the failure 'a disgrace.' FIFA President Gianni Infantino also joked about Italy's drought, suggesting they might qualify if the tournament expands to 64 or 128 teams. Italy last qualified for the World Cup in 2014; they missed out in 2018, 2022, and now 2026.
BILD - SportItaly Furious with Gianni Infantino Over World Cup Qualification Mockery
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sparked outrage in Italy after mocking the national team's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. During an interview, Infantino joked that Italy might qualify if the tournament expanded to 64 or even 208 teams. The comments drew sharp criticism from Italian media, former World Cup winners Marco Tardelli and Francesco Graziani, and politicians. Deputy Gaetano Amato called the remarks 'petty' and demanded respect, while Italy's Minister of Sports Andrea Abodi said he would seek a direct conversation with Infantino. Italy failed to qualify for the third consecutive World Cup after a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia in the playoff final. The controversy has escalated into a political and national pride issue, with many accusing Infantino of disrespecting a four-time world champion nation.
Foot Mercato : Info Transferts Football - Actu Foot TransfertFIFA President Infantino Mocks Italy Over World Cup Absence
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sparked controversy by mocking Italy's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, despite the tournament expanding to 48 teams. In an interview with Brazilian broadcaster CazéTV, Infantino sarcastically suggested Italy might only qualify if the World Cup expands to 64 or 128 teams. Italy, a four-time world champion, missed its third consecutive World Cup after losing a playoff final to Bosnia-Herzegovina on penalties. Italy's Sports Minister Andrea Abodi expressed irritation and announced he would seek a conversation with Infantino to clarify the remarks. The comments have struck a nerve in Italy, a proud football nation that has now failed to qualify for the 2018, 2022, and 2026 World Cups.
BILD - SportInfantino Mocks Italy for Missing World Cup Again
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has publicly mocked Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup, highlighting the nation's ongoing drought in international football. The comments were reported by BILD Sport on June 13, 2026, and come as Italy misses yet another World Cup tournament. Infantino's remarks have drawn attention to Italy's struggles since their last World Cup appearance, adding to the pressure on the Italian football federation. The article includes a video source from CazéTV and BILD, emphasizing the mocking tone of the FIFA president towards the four-time world champions.
BILD - SportInfantino Mocks Italy Over World Cup Failure; Italian Minister Seeks Confrontation
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sparked outrage in Italy by mocking the four-time world champion's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. In an interview with Brazilian broadcaster CazéTV, Infantino joked about expanding the tournament to 64 or even 228 teams so Italy could participate. Italy's Sports Minister Andrea Abodi responded with irritation, demanding a direct telephone conversation with Infantino to clarify the remarks. Italy missed World Cup qualification for the third consecutive time after a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Meanwhile, Bosnia-Herzegovina started their World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against co-host Canada, who earned their first-ever World Cup point but still seek their first win. The article also notes high fan costs and partially empty stands at the tournament.
Nachrichten - WELTItalian Sports Minister Abodi Seeks Clarification After Infantino's World Cup Joke
Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi has expressed displeasure over a joke made by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who sarcastically suggested expanding the World Cup to 208 teams so that Italy could qualify again. Italy, a four-time World Cup champion, has missed the tournament for the third consecutive time. Infantino made the comment during an interview with Brazilian TV channel CazéTV. Abodi, speaking on Italian media Slow Motion, said he wants to call Infantino to clarify what he meant. The article notes that expanding to 64 teams is not entirely impossible, as the proposal has been discussed since last year, and the 2026 tournament will be the first with 48 teams.
虎扑 - 足球Infantino's joke about Italy's World Cup qualification sparks anger
FIFA President Gianni Infantino angered Italian officials and politicians with a joke suggesting Italy might qualify for the World Cup if the tournament expanded to 64 teams. The comment, made during a public appearance, was perceived as mocking Italy's failure to qualify for recent tournaments. The Italian Chamber of Deputies responded by calling Infantino 'petty,' escalating a diplomatic spat between the Italian government and FIFA's leadership. The incident highlights ongoing tensions over World Cup expansion plans and Italy's recent struggles in international football.
RecordFIFA President Infantino Mocks Italy Over World Cup Absence
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sparked controversy by mocking Italy's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, marking the third consecutive tournament the four-time world champion will miss. In an interview with Brazilian broadcaster CazéTV, Infantino sarcastically suggested Italy might only qualify if the World Cup expands to 64 or even 228 teams—despite FIFA having only 211 member associations. Italy's World Cup hopes ended in a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the play-off final, even with the tournament expanded to 48 teams. Italy's Sports Minister Andrea Abodi expressed irritation and announced he would seek a telephone conversation with Infantino to clarify the situation. The comments have struck a nerve in Italy, a proud football nation that has now failed to qualify for the 2018, 2022, and 2026 World Cups.
BILD - SportInfantino Faces Backlash Over Joke About Italy's World Cup Failure; World Cup Ticker Updates
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sparked criticism in Italy after joking about the nation's repeated failure to qualify for the World Cup. In an interview, Infantino suggested Italy might only qualify if the tournament expanded to 64 or even 228 teams. Italy's Sports Minister Andrea Abodi expressed irritation and plans to seek a conversation with Infantino. Italy has missed World Cup qualification for the third consecutive time. The article also covers other World Cup news: Turkey faces criticism over a promotional video featuring President Erdogan and military imagery, Brazil's Neymar is out for the opening match due to a calf injury, Canada earned its first World Cup point with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina, and former Germany coach Jürgen Klopp made a joking remark about current coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Nachrichten - WELTInfantino Jokes About Italy's World Cup Chances Amid Expansion Talk
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, in an interview with Brazilian media outlet CazéTV at the Azteca Stadium, discussed the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams. He stated that the 48-team format must first be evaluated, but confirmed the topic has been raised within the FIFA Council for future debate. Infantino then made a lighthearted joke about the Italian national team, saying that even with expansion to 64 teams, Italy might not qualify, and quipped that he might need to increase spots to 208 to see them reach the finals. The comments come as Italy has failed to qualify for recent World Cups, adding a layer of context to the remark.
虎扑 - 足球FIFA President Infantino Mocks Italy's World Cup Absence, Suggests 64-Team Format
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, while discussing the expanded 48-team World Cup format on Brazilian channel CazéTV, joked that Italy might qualify if the tournament expands to 64 teams. Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time, losing in the playoffs to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Infantino's comment drew sharp criticism from Italian MP Gaetano Amato, who called the remark 'petty' and lacking institutional responsibility, noting that Infantino holds his position partly due to support from the Italian Federation. Italy has not appeared in a World Cup since 2014.
Foot - actualités, mercato, info & vidéo en continuInfantino Stirs Controversy by Joking About Italy's World Cup Absence
FIFA President Gianni Infantino sparked controversy in Italy by joking about the country's absence from the World Cup. During an interview with Brazilian television CazéTV before the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, Infantino suggested that with a potential expansion from 48 to 64 teams, Italy 'might' qualify. He further quipped that he could expand the tournament to 228 teams to see if they qualify. Italy has not played in a World Cup since Brazil 2014, missing three consecutive tournaments: Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, and the 2026 edition co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Italian fans and sports media criticized the remarks as inappropriate and disrespectful to the four-time world champion, which is currently in a deep crisis. Infantino clarified that the expansion idea was raised in the FIFA Council but stressed the organization is focused on the current 48-team format.
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