MIAMI, United States, June 16– FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the World Cup has opened “in a very, very successful way” that has “gone beyond our expectations” after attending five matches in five stadiums across the three host countries.
Infantino made the remarks in Miami on the opening day of the FIFA Executive Football Summits 2026. Launched in 2016, the first year of Infantino’s presidency, the summits provide a platform for FIFA leadership and representatives from member associations to discuss a wide range of programs, initiatives and policies. This year’s summits, which run until June 17, include sessions on the evolution of the FIFA Forward Program, youth competitions and FIFA’s digital strategy, among other topics. The FIFA president said he was delighted by the “incredible atmospheres (and) full stadiums,” with average attendances exceeding 63,000 during the opening eight matches.
He also praised the quality of football on display, saying the tournament had already highlighted the growing competitiveness of teams around the world. Infantino cited the 1-1 draw between Switzerland and Qatar at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium as an example. “It is not one of the opening games in the host countries. Qatar vs. Switzerland in San Francisco: 68,000 spectators, packed stadium. It was really beautiful and a surprising result for some, for others not,” he told the assembled member association representatives. “What I was positively surprised (at), as well, was the atmosphere – you see so many children, so many families coming to watch these games. This is maybe unusual for some football events, but it creates a very, very beautiful atmosphere,” the FIFA president said. “We had very peaceful environments, very festive environments, starting from Mexico City to all the other places. And this is what this World Cup is about.”
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