The 2026 World Cup was the most commercially successful sporting event ever staged, with estimated revenues of around $15 billion.

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In an extraordinary Instagram message reposted to Fifa's eight million followers, Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, has rejected widespread criticism of the tournament.

Arguing that “football unites the world”, Infantino insisted that the 2026 World Cup “celebrated humanity at its best”, adding that this tournament was “the greatest event on earth” with “100% safety and security, only joy and happiness”.

Infantino’s defiant statement dismisses several of the tournament’s major controversies and extensive criticism from a variety of quarters, including: UEFA, the Norwegian Football Federation, the Royal Belgium Football Association, and Iran’s Head Coach.

Other major controversies included US visa policies, hydration breaks, the enormous costs for fans, political interference, a 27-minute half-time show in the final, and the event’s environmental impact.

In a 15-slide post, Infantino advised his critics to stop “spreading hate and false rumours” about his leadership and the governing body, and instead “to meditate, pray or watch a football match”.

Arguing that “our world needs love, not hate; tolerance, not division; celebration, not mourning”, Infantino’s message seeks to frame the World Cup in highly positive, glowing terms while positioning his critics as negative, biased and unfair “haters”.

Infantino’s Instagram message is a classic example of what I term “Prozac leadership”. Over the past 40 years, my research has identified leaders in many different sectors who........

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