Hooligans not on Infantino’s radar
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Thursday he was not worried about hooliganism at next year’s Russia World Cup, amid growing fears the tournament could be blighted by fan violence.
Speaking in Qatar following a FIFA executive summit meeting, Infantino also said that soccer’s governing body has not asked Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko to resign as the tournament’s chief organizer.
“I am not concerned about trouble and violence in 2018,” Infantino said on the sidelines of the meeting.
“I have full confidence in the Russian authorities and they are taking this matter very, very seriously.”
Infantino said Russian organizers had been in touch with FIFA, UEFA and the organizers of Euro 2016 in France, where Russian and English fans clashed in bloody street battles, leading to the expulsion of several Russians.
He added that Russia was a “welcoming country, which wants to celebrate football”.
Infantino’s comments came ahead of the British broadcast of a television documentary in which Russian hardline fans are threaten trouble against English fans who travel to the World Cup.
The hooligans warn the 2018 World Cup will be a “festival of violence”.
“I would also be wary of spreading rumors about hooligans,” said Infantino. Gianni Infantino, FIFA president
There are also concerns about Mutko, who has faced questions about his role as head of the Russia 2018 organizing committee after being linked to the doping of Russian athletes.
Mutko has denied any link to the scandal, which a report by a World Anti-Doping Agency investigator said was “state sponsored”.
He is also seeking a new place on the FIFA council in a vote in April and must pass an integrity check.
Asked whether he has pressed for Mutko’s resignation as head of the Russian World Cup committee, Infantino said: “No.”
The FIFA president was more open about the prospect of countries sharing the hosting of the World Cup finals from 2026 on, when the tournament will expand to 48 teams.
“For 2026, now we are starting the bidding process, we took already some important decisions,” Infantino said.
“We will encourage co-hosting of the World Cup. We need FIFA to show we are reasonable and we have to think about sustainability long-term.
“If you think about the World Cup and the requirements we are putting on countries, there arereallyonlyafewcountriesin the world that can comply.
“It is perfectly in line with our sustainability and legacy to maybe bring together two, three, four countries who can jointly present a project with three, four, five stadiums each.”
Infantino added that hosting countries should “preferably” be located close to one other, which has already increased speculation about a joint North American bid for 2026.
I have full confidence in the Russian authorities and they are taking this matter very, very seriously.”