Jacobelli criticizes World Cup 2026 and Infantino: «Hypertr…
Jacobelli: «The 2026 World Cup is a hypertrophic system, FIFA talks about money and discrimination»
Italian journalist Xavier Jacobelli attacks the 48-team format, Infantino's hypocrisy and the plight of Iranian athletes in an exclusive interview with Calcionews24.
Italian journalist Xavier Jacobelli has launched a harsh attack on the 48-team 2026 World Cup, calling it a "hypertrophic system" built only to collect money. In an exclusive interview with Calcionews24, Jacobelli harshly criticized the expanded format, accusing FIFA and president Gianni Infantino of hypocrisy and of ignoring the discrimination suffered by Iranian athletes. Jacobelli underlined that the tournament, with its expansion to 48 teams, risks becoming a purely commercial event, emptied of sporting value.
“Fifa only thinks about money,” he said, adding that Infantino's jokes about a future 64-team World Cup are out of place when there are serious issues to deal with. According to Jacobelli, the FIFA president should focus on discrimination against Iranian athletes, an issue he believes has been systematically ignored. His analysis doesn't stop at the format: Jacobelli highlights how expansion has already forced smaller federations to give up valuable resources to participate, with travel and logistics costs multiplied for teams from continents like Africa and Asia.
Jacobelli's analysis does not even spare the teams' performances. He praised the early outings of England, France and Argentina, naming Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane as players who are living up to expectations. " The journalist underlines that FIFA, under Infantino's leadership, has transformed the World Cup into an unparalleled business, but without guaranteeing a balance between economic growth and sporting integrity.
The African and Asian federations, in particular, are paying the price for this choice, with reduced budgets and growing organizational difficulties. Regarding discrimination against Iran, Jacobelli asked FIFA to take a position. “It is not acceptable that in a global event like the World Cup there are athletes who suffer discrimination without FIFA intervening,” he said.
His voice joins that of other observers who ask for greater responsibility from the international federation. Jacobelli recalls how the situation of Iranian athletes is only the most striking example of opaque management, where human rights and transparency remain empty slogans. Then there is another critical aspect raised by Jacobelli: the domino effect of the expanded format on the quality of the matches.
With 48 teams on the field, the less competitive teams find themselves playing matches with marked technical imbalances, reducing the sporting attractiveness of the tournament. Jacobelli cites examples of teams who, despite having obtained qualification, struggle to maintain a decent level, forcing the organizers to schedule longer and less competitive preliminary rounds. This lengthening of the tournament, according to the journalist, not only dilutes the intensity of the matches, but risks emptying the very idea of "global competition" of meaning.
The Italian journalist does not spare criticism even of the qualification system, which is becoming increasingly selective and inaccessible for emerging football realities. Jacobelli underlines how expansion has created a hierarchy between teams: those already consolidated automatically obtain economic and media advantages, while the others have to fight for a place which, in many cases, translates into an experience of participation rather than real competition. This mechanism, according to Jacobelli, risks transforming the World Cup into a two-speed tournament, where sporting quality becomes an optional.
Regarding the reactions, Jacobelli recalled how his position is not isolated. “There are colleagues and professionals who share my concerns, but few have the courage to say it openly,” he declared. His interview comes at a time when FIFA is already facing pressure from sponsors and federations to overhaul its governance policies, making his words even more relevant.
Jacobelli's criticisms are part of a broader debate on the future of football, where economic growth risks suffocating sporting tradition. What will happen now? Jacobelli's criticism could fuel further debates on how FIFA will manage the next editions of the tournament, especially in terms of human rights and transparency.
If pressure grows, Infantino could be forced to respond publicly not only on the economic issues, but also on the social ones that Jacobelli has brought to light. His interview comes at a time when FIFA is already facing pressure from sponsors and federations to overhaul its governance policies, making his words even more relevant. Read at MilanNews24
Why this matters
Jacobelli offers a direct and critical Italian perspective on the commercial expansion of the 2026 World Cup and the management of discrimination against Iranian athletes. His voice adds to the chorus of those calling for greater transparency from FIFA and Infantino, questioning the integrity of the tournament and the leadership of the Swiss president. His criticisms are not limited to the format, but extend to a development model that risks marginalizing less well-off football players, making the World Cup an increasingly asymmetrical event. His speech comes at a crucial moment, when FIFA must balance economic growth and social responsibility, and his words could push towards a review of governance policies that goes beyond mere profit.
Frequently asked
Who is Xavier Jacobelli and why does his opinion matter?
Xavier Jacobelli is an Italian sports journalist with decades of experience in international football. His criticisms of the 2026 World Cup and the management of FIFA and Infantino come from an insider perspective, rare in the current media landscape.
What does Jacobelli criticize specifically regarding the format of the 2026 World Cup?
Jacobelli defines the 48-team format as a "hypertrophic system" that exists only to maximize profits, without considering the sporting and organizational impact. He considers it a purely commercial choice that penalizes smaller federations.
What are Jacobelli's accusations towards Gianni Infantino?
Jacobelli accuses Infantino of making jokes about the possible expansion to 64 teams, instead of addressing serious issues such as the discrimination suffered by Iranian athletes during the tournament. He defines him as hypocritical and detached, incapable of governing with balance.
Which teams and players did Jacobelli praise in the interview?
Jacobelli praised the early performances of England, France and Argentina, pointing out that stars such as Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are living up to expectations.
Why is discrimination against Iran a central theme in Jacobelli's criticism?
Jacobelli is calling on FIFA to publicly address the discrimination faced by Iranian athletes during the tournament, an issue he believes has been ignored in favor of a purely commercial narrative of the World Cup.
How does the expansion to 48 teams impact the smaller federations?
Jacobelli highlights that the expansion of the tournament has multiplied travel and logistics costs for African and Asian teams, forcing less wealthy federations to give up precious resources to participate.
