speech on fifa world cup 2022

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Fact check: 11 eye-catching lines from Gianni Infantino’s speech in Qatar

Fifa’s president told the world he feels Arab, African, gay and disabled, while the media are racist hypocrites. So how accurate was his World Cup monologue?

Today I have very strong feelings. Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel a migrant worker. I feel like them because I know what it feels like to be discriminated, to be bullied as a foreigner in a country. At school I was bullied because I had red hair and freckles. I was bullied, plus I was Italian, so imagine. I didn’t speak good German. What do you do then? You lock yourself down in your room, you cry and then you try to make some friends. You try to engage … You don’t start accusing or fighting, you start engaging. This is what we should be doing.”

Infantino’s opening remarks set the tone for his unexpectedly lengthy address . They are personalised and speak to his key theme, that of hypocrisy and that the way to effect change is not through confrontation but “engagement”. The metaphor, comparing being bullied for having red hair to the experience of migrant workers who remain exploited in Qatar to this day, appears flippant, but is likely sincere. Infantino has also lumped together the experience of exploited workers and those of LGBTQ+ people whose sexuality is illegal in Qatar, with those of some Qataris themselves – especially those at the top of society – who feel they have been the subject of unfair criticism. This gives the impression of a relativist approach to a highly sensitive debate.

It’s not easy every day to read all these critics of decisions that were taken 10 years ago when none of us was there. Now everyone knows we have to make the best out of it and make the best World Cup ever. Doha is ready, Qatar is ready, it will be the best World Cup ever, of course.”

Infantino is correct to observe that there has been widespread personnel change at Fifa since the decision was taken to award Qatar the World Cup in 2010. According to research by Nick Harris of the Mail on Sunday, 10 of the 22-member Fifa executive committee which voted on the deal have since been banned for ethics violations while another four have either been indicted or convicted of criminal corruption. At the time of the vote, Infantino himself was not a Fifa employee, but secretary general of the European governing body, Uefa.

Let’s start with the migrant workers. We are told many many lessons from some Europeans, the western world. I am European. I actually am. I think for what we Europeans have been doing in the last 3,000 years, around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before starting to give moral lessons to people.”

In the year 1,000 BC, the concept of Europe did not exist and those living within the geographical boundaries were emerging from the Bronze Age. But if you substitute 300 for 3,000 then many European countries were colonial powers, putting human beings into slavery and exploiting natural resources. An anti-slavery movement did not appear in the UK until the late 18th century. The question of whether, and to what extent, contemporary European societies are responsible for the past, and should perhaps also undertake restitution, remains an active debate. Again Infantino’s criticism speaks to a perceived hypocrisy.

Qatar: beyond the football

It was a World Cup like no other. For the last 12 years the Guardian has been reporting on the issues surrounding Qatar 2022, from corruption and human rights abuses to the treatment of migrant workers and discriminatory laws. The best of our journalism is gathered on our dedicated  Qatar: Beyond the Football  home page for those who want to go deeper into the issues beyond the pitch.

Guardian reporting goes far beyond what happens on the pitch. Support our investigative journalism today .

I don’t have to defend Qatar, I’m defending football and injustice. We see here many government representatives coming to Qatar. They all come because a country which has just sand and pearls turns out to have something much more, it’s gas. If there was no gas nobody would care. Now they all come and they all want something and who is actually caring about the workers. Who? Fifa does, the World Cup does and to be fair to them Qatar does as well.”

Infantino is right to observe that western governments, including those of the UK and USA, have a dependency on Qatari natural gas and oil, especially during the current Ukraine war. These governments, however, have not spoken out to criticise the World Cup, instead it has been a coalition of unions and NGOs as well as journalists and, in some cases, football authorities and players. These groups have been critical of Fifa and Qatar’s “caring” for workers.

Hundreds of thousands of workers from developing countries come to Qatar and earn many times more [than at home] and help families to survive. They do it in a legal way. We in Europe close our borders . Those who reach Europe or who want to go to Europe have to go through a very difficult journey and survive. If the EU really cared about the destiny of these people, then EU could also do as Qatar did to create some legal channels where at least a percentage of these workers could come to EU … give them some work, give them some future.”

Criticism of European treatment of migrants from outside the bloc is widespread and often comes from the same people who criticise the Qatar World Cup. However the European Commission claims that 21.6m people, or 4.2% of the total population, are third party nationals. In the UK, the 2021 census showed that 10m people living in England and Wales had been born outside the country – 16.8% of the total population.

I wonder why nobody recognises the progress that has been made since 2016 [when Infantino became Fifa president]? The kafala system was abolished, minimum wages were introduced, heat protections were put in place. ILO, unions acknowledged this, but media don’t, or some don’t.”

Moving from “nobody” to “some” suggests Infantino is aware his claim won’t stick. Media have generally reported on the progress or otherwise of reforms in Qatar, especially through the research of those on the ground, including the International Labour Organization and Amnesty International as well as individual journalists.

The only way of obtaining results is by engaging, seeking dialogue, not by hammering, insulting. When your child does something bad at school and you tell him he’s an idiot he’s useless and you put him in his room what do you think his response is? If you talk to him say let’s work together you will have better grades, he will recognise that and he will be better. I don’t want to give you any lessons of life I just want you to realise that what is going on here is profoundly unjust.”

Different styles of parenting remain in practice. Again, the segue from his first point to his claim of profound injustice seems ambitious.

after newsletter promotion

Many organisations have recognised that workers’ rights standards are similar here to those in western Europe, the standards are similar on safety. Let’s see what happens in the next 10 years.”

This seems a grand claim. Amnesty, in their last update before the World Cup, says forced labour continues “unabated” in Qatar, particularly among security and domestic workers. Pay is regularly withheld from workers, while thousands are still working unsafely, Amnesty say. Building and Woodworkers International, who have been on the ground in Qatar since 2016, say safety standards on World Cup sites have been found to be broadly comparable with western Europe, but they were not replicated in the industry more widely.

People [in Qatar] are happy and want to cheer for the teams arriving, and what do I read: ‘These people don’t look English so they should not cheer for English because they look like Indians’. I mean what is that? Can someone who looks Indian not cheer for England or for Spain or for Germany? You know what this is: this is racism. This is pure racism. They have difficult lives, everyone has difficult lives, we want to have a moment where we don’t have to think about this.”

Claims that south Asians cheering the arrival of England in Qatar were “fake fans” were inaccurate. The accusations did, however, follow the revelation that Qatar had been paying people to be enthusiastic supporters during the tournament. Furthermore, the claim that someone “who looks Indian” could not support England is different altogether. Infantino may also have been more revealing than intended when imagining an escape from this.

[On the banning of beer at stadiums] Every decision taken in this World Cup is joint decision between Qatar and Fifa. There will be eight to 10 fan zones, over 200 places where you can buy alcohol anyway, I think personally if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer you will survive. Maybe it’s a big thing because it’s a Muslim country, I don’t know. We tried until the end to see if it was still possible. It’s one thing having the plans and designs in place, then you look to see the flows of people, going to different matches, we have four matches on the same day so have to make sure people can go in and go out. That is why we had to take the decision about the beer.”

Infantino contradicts widely held views that Budweiser’s beer stands were withdrawn at the request of Qatari authorities. He may be correct, but it was certainly the case that the sale of beer at the stadiums was not only considered possible but actually guaranteed by Fifa as little as two months ago. A spokesperson told the AFP in September that alcoholic beer would be sold “within the stadium perimeter prior to kick-off and after the final whistle.” This is no longer the case. However some people will not have to wait three hours for a drink, with VIP boxes still serving alcohol. The World Cup’s “most luxurious” hospitality offer, the Pearl Lounge, will offer a six-course meal, welcome drinks, champagne, cocktails a dedicated sommelier and “guest appearances” for $34,300.

If you want to criticise, come to me. Here I am, you can crucify me, I am here for that. Don’t criticise Qatar, don’t criticise the players, don’t criticise anyone, criticise Fifa, criticise me because I am responsible for everything. How many occasions do we have to unite the world? Do we want to continue to spit on others because they look different or they feel different? We defend human rights. We do it our way. We obtain results. It’s a step-by-step process, help us in doing more. Don’t divide, don’t split.”

Infantino’s final remarks neatly encapsulate the whole speech: personally felt, lyrical and combining very different messages in one apparent argument. How many critics of the Qatar World Cup are “spitting” on others because “they look different”? How many “results” have actually been achieved? And is “don’t criticise Qatar” a plea or a demand?

• World Cup 2022
• Qatar beyond the football
• Football politics

Most viewed

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• March Madness
• AP Top 25 Poll
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Qatar opens World Cup with lavish half-hour ceremony

A giant inflateble copy of the trophy is displayed prior to the start of the World Cup group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Fireworks explode on the Al Bayt Stadium before the start of the World Cup, group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador in Al Khor, Qatar, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony for the World Cup prior to the match between Qatar and Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor , Qatar, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

A giant inflateble copy of the trophy is displayed prior to the start of the World Cup group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor ,Qatar, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

A worker cleans a sign “I love Qatar” ahead of the World Cup group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador, in Doha, Qatar, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

Teams line up before the World Cup group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

FIFA President Giovanni Infantino talks to the crowd prior the World Cup, group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

• Copy Link copied

AL KHOR, Qatar (AP) — Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman extended one yellow-gloved hand to a FIFA World Cup ambassador suffering from a rare spinal disorder in an image meant to represent inclusion in a country facing international criticism over its human rights record.

It wasn’t the biggest moment of Sunday’s seven-act World Cup opening ceremony ahead of the match between host country Qatar and Ecuador. The largest cheers were reserved for the Mideast and African leaders watching from their luxury suites in Bedouin-tent inspired Al Bayt Stadium.

In fact, it was Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani who drew a thunderous applause in a short speech delivered in Arabic from the suite.

“We have worked hard, along with many people, to make it one of the most successful tournaments,” he said. “We have exerted all efforts and invested for the good of all humanity.”

He was seated between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who secured the World Cup for the tiny gulf nation 12 years ago.

“How beautiful it is for people to put aside what divides them in order to celebrate their diversity and what brings them together at the same time,” Sheikh Tamim said, his words translated into English on a video screen inside the stadium.

“I wish all the participating teams a magnificent football performance, high sportsmanship, and a time full of joy, excitement and delight for you all,” he continued. “And let there be days that are inspiring with goodness and hope.”

He then said, “I welcome you and good luck to all,” in his only words spoken in English.

Sheikh Hamad, viewed as the modernizer of Qatar during his 18 years as ruler, further delighted the crowd by autographing an official World Cup shirt handed to him by his son. He then held the shirt up to the crowd.

Qatar, home to 3 million people, most of them migrant workers, has spent more than $200 billion on preparation for the World Cup. Seven new stadiums were built, including the 60,000-seat Al Bayt Stadium north of Doha.

The opening ceremony was meant to introduce Qatar to the world through its culture with a theme of “bridging distances.” Creative director Ahmad Al Baker wanted the ceremony to signify “a gathering for all mankind, an invitation to come together as one, bridging all differences with humanity, respect and inclusion.”

“Finally, we have reached the opening day, the day you have been eagerly waiting for,” Sheikh Tamim said. “We will follow, and with us the whole world, God willing, the great football festival, in this spacious ambience for human and civilized communication.

“People of different races, nationalities, faiths and orientations will gather here in Qatar, and around screens on all continents to share the same exciting moments.”

His words hit the mark as Sheikh Tamim was joined in the stadium suite by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, two leaders who had boycotted Qatar for years. Not present were the leaders of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, the two other nations involved in the boycott.

There were no major Western leaders in attendance, as Qatar is under intense scrutiny for its treatment of the migrant workers who prepped the nation for the World Cup, as well as the LGBTQ community. Gay and lesbian sex is criminalized in Qatar.

But among those who did attend the opening match were U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Senegalese President Macky Sall, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Kuwait’s crown prince came, along with the director-general of the World Health Organization and Djibouti’s president. Also present was Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

They listened as BTS’ Jung Kook, while Qatari singer and producer Fahad Al Kubaisi debuted the single “Dreamers,” produced specifically for the World Cup.

Then came remarks from Infantino, who spoke in Arabic, Spanish and finally English to officially open the tournament.

“Dear friends, welcome, welcome, to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” Infantino said in English. “Welcome to celebrate football because football unites the world. And now let’s welcome the teams and let the show begin.”

As “The Business” by Tiesto blasted over the speakers, Qatar and Ecuador took to the field and the World Cup officially began.

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Morgan Freeman delivers speech during Olympic-style World Cup opening ceremony

An opening ceremony at a World Cup is not the norm. 

Then again, nothing about Qatar's hosting of the 2022 FIFA men's World Cup has been traditional. 

During the roughly 30-minute production Sunday – produced by Olympic ceremony veteran Marco Balich – stars such as American actor Morgan Freeman and Korean pop-star Jungkook took the stage.  

Freeman's speech, which appeared to be lip-synched, included his typical charismatic tones. 

"What unites us here is so much greater than what divides us. How can we make it last longer?" said Freeman, who 12 years ago was a face behind the United States' attempt to secure the 2022 World Cup bid before FIFA awarded the tournament to Qatar amid waves of corruption scandals and bribes. 

"The supreme committee wanted to create a real show, which FIFA is not accustomed to," Balich told the Associated Press last week. 

Jungkook and Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi performed the song "Dreamers." 

The ceremony, which preceded the first match of the tournament between Qatar and Ecuador at 11 a.m. ET., was one of the reasons why in August the World Cup start was moved up a day in a late switch, giving the show a more prominent viewing slot.

"FIFA and the supreme committee – especially FIFA – realized how much effort was going into creating the ceremony and creating for the first time something that’s not just someone singing before the opening game,” Balich said.

Contributing: Associated Press

Nov 22, 2022

Morgan Freeman kicks off the 2022 FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony in Qatar Transcript

Morgan Freeman makes an appearance in Qatar to kick start the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening Ceremony. Read the transcript here.

Transcribe Your Own Content Try Rev and save time transcribing, captioning, and subtitling.

Morgan Freeman ( 00:01 ):

I heard something beautiful, not just music, but also this call to celebration. This is all so new. All that I have known before was a land that seemed to be in turmoil, with families have been forgotten and I stopped hearing your voice.

Speaker 2 ( 00:19 ):

Come on over.

Morgan Freeman ( 00:24 ):

I’m not sure. Am I welcome?

Speaker 2 ( 00:25 ):

We sent out the call because everyone is welcome. This is an invitation to the whole world.

Morgan Freeman ( 00:33 ):

I remember, even after hearing the call, instead of seeing another way, we dismissed it and demanded our own way. And now, the world feels even more distant and divided. How can so many countries, languages, and cultures come together, if only one way is accepted?

Speaker 2 ( 01:10 ):

[foreign language 00:01:03]. We were raised to believe that we were scattered on this earth as nations and tribes, so we could learn from each other and find beauty in our differences.

Morgan Freeman ( 01:21 ):

I can see it. What unites us here in this moment is so much greater than what divides us. How can we make it last longer than just today?

Speaker 2 ( 01:33 ):

With tolerance and respect, we can live together under one big home. In Arabic, Bayt al sha’ar, is the Bedouin tent. Wherever it is built, that is home. And when we call you here, we welcome you into our home.

Morgan Freeman ( 01:51 ):

So we gather here as one big tribe and earth is the tent we all live in.

Speaker 2 ( 02:01 ):

Yes. And together, we can send out the call for all the world to join us.

Speaker 3 ( 02:57 ):

So right now we’re hearing Qatari vocalist, [inaudible 00:03:00], and with her powerful voice, she is welcoming everyone. She’s telling everyone that no matter where you’re from, please come home. And this tent that you’re seeing, the stadium tent, is Bayt al-sha’ar. This is a place that is known to Qatari nomads. And at the end of the day, hello and welcome is the key word. We just want to make sure that everyone, no matter where they’re from, no matter what tribe they’re from, is welcome.

Morgan Freeman ( 03:39 ):

In celebration, in hearing from our heroes through all the differences in language, there is a common thread of hope, jubilation and respect. We may or may not understand the words, but in the deepest part of us, we must understand and appreciate the emotions that connect us all.

Other Related Transcripts

Stay updated.

Get a weekly digest of the week’s most important transcripts in your inbox. It’s the news, without the news.

World Cup: FIFA president Infantino slams Europe's 'hypocrisy' in speech

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has lashed out at what he described as "hypocrisy" and "racism" from countries moralising about the Qatar World Cup and claimed Europe should be "apologising for the next 3,000 years" for past mistakes.

In an astonishing one-hour monologue that opened a Saturday news conference in Doha, Infantino, who will stand unopposed for reelection as FIFA president next March, took aim at critics of Qatar and FIFA by defending the treatment of migrant workers, saying LGBTQ+ people are welcome and insisting he is still in control of the tournament despite a last-minute stadium ban on alcohol.

"What is sad is that especially in the last weeks, we have been witnessing in some places a real lesson of moral, of double moral [standards]," Infantino said.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

"We are told to make many lessons from some Europeans, from the Western world. I'm European. I think for what we Europeans have been doing for 3,000 years around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before starting to give moral lessons to people.

"How many of these European companies who earn millions and millions from Qatar or other countries in the region -- billions every year -- how many of them have addressed migrant-worker rights? I have the answer: none of them because if they change the legislation it means less profits.

"But we did. And FIFA generated much, much, much less than any of these companies, from Qatar.

"We see here as well many government representatives coming from Qatar. I don't have to defend Qatar in any way whatsoever, they can defend themselves. I am defending football here, and injustice.

"If there was no gas, nobody would care. But now they all come and they all want something. Who is actually caring about the workers? FIFA does. Football does, the World Cup does and to be fair to them, Qatar does as well."

Infantino questioned European immigration policy and claimed the West could learn from Qatar, which has faced repeated criticism from human rights campaigners about the treatment of migrant workers.

He said: "Where are we going with our way of working, guys? Where is the world going? If you go two steps back and you look at this issue of migration and their situation of hundreds of thousands of women and men who would like to offer their services, who would like to help and give a future to their families back home, Qatar is actually offering them this opportunity.

"Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, they help their families to survive. And they do it in a legal way. We in Europe, we close our borders and we don't allow practically any workers from these countries to work legally in our country. We all know there are many illegal workers in our European countries, living conditions which are also not really the best.

"Those who reach Europe, those who want to go to Europe, they have to go through a very difficult journey. Only a few survive. So if you would really care about the destiny of these people, these young people, then Europe could also do as Qatar did: create some legal channels where at least a number of these workers could come to Europe, lower revenues, but give them some work, give them some future, give them some hope.

"This doesn't mean that we shouldn't point that doesn't work here in Qatar as well. Of course, there are things that don't work and need to be addressed. But this moral lesson giving, one-sided, it is just hypocrisy."

Infantino began his extraordinary speech by declaring, "Today I have very strong feelings, today I feel Qatari, today I feel Arab, today I feel African, today I feel gay, today I feel disabled, today I feel a migrant worker," before claiming he understood what it meant to be discriminated against because "as a foreigner in a foreign country, as a child at school I was bullied because I had red hair and freckles."

Turning his attention to LGBTQ+ rights, Infantino repeated the Qatar Supreme Committee's insistence that everybody is welcome in the country despite the country's strict laws against homosexuality, punishable in some cases by death.

"They've confirmed that I can confirm that everyone is welcome," Infantino said. "If the odd person here or there says the opposite, it's not the opinion of the country and it's certainly not the opinion of FIFA. This a clear FIFA requirement, that everyone is to be welcome.

"Everyone who comes to Qatar is welcome, whatever religion, race, sexual orientation, belief she or he has, everyone is welcome. This was our requirement and the Qatari state sticks to that requirement.

"You will tell me: 'Yes, but there are legislations which prohibit that, or whatever, you have to go to jail.' Yes, these legislations exist. They exist in many countries in the world. These legislation existed in Switzerland when they organised the World Cup in 1954. Like for the workers, these are processes."

At the demand of Qatar's Supreme Committee, alcohol was banned in stadiums just two days before Sunday's opening match between Qatar and Ecuador despite years of promise fans would be able to buy beer at games.

Infantino insisted FIFA was still "200 percent in control" of the tournament and appeared to suggest: "If this is the biggest issue we have for the World Cup, I will sign immediately and go to the beach and relax until 18th of December.

"Let me first assure you that every decision taken at this World Cup is a joint decision between Qatar and FIFA. Every decision. It is discussed, debated and taken jointly. There will be over 200 places where you can buy alcohol in Qatar.

- 2022 World Cup guide: Star players, must-see games, more

"Over 10 fan zones where over 100,000 can simultaneously drink alcohol. I think personally, if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive, especially because actually the same rules apply in France or Spain or in Portugal, or in Scotland. No beer is allowed in the stadiums.

"Here it becomes a big thing because it is a Muslim country. I don't know why. We tried. It's the one I give you of course, a late change of policy. Because we tried until the end to see if it was possible. But one thing is to have plans and designs and another thing is when you start putting it in place.

"You look at the flows of the people, look at their safety going in and out, going to attend different matches. This is something at this World Cup that is new in that respect."

Responding to Infantino's comments, Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International's head of economic and social justice said: "In brushing aside legitimate human rights criticisms, Gianni Infantino is dismissing the enormous price paid by migrant workers to make his flagship tournament possible -- as well as FIFA's responsibility for it. Demands for equality, dignity and compensation cannot be treated as some sort of culture war -- they are universal human rights that FIFA has committed to respect in its own statutes.

"If there is one tiny glimmer of hope, it is that Infantino announced that FIFA would establish a legacy fund after the World Cup. This cannot be mere window dressing, however. If FIFA is to salvage anything from this tournament, it must announce that it will invest a significant part of the $6 billion the organisation will make from this tournament and make sure this fund is used to compensate workers and their families directly."

Jump to navigation

• Education & Research
• Right to Education
• Social Development
• Culture & Heritage
• Environment
• Photo Library
• Media Enquiries
• Contact the office

2022 FIFA World Cup Bid Final Presentation

Zurich, 01 December 2010

President Blatter, Members of the Executive Committee, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I would like to ask you a question.

When is the right time for the World Cup to come to the Middle East?

And do you recognise how important this is to our region and our world?

FIFA has answered similar questions many times before.

In 1930, FIFA entrusted the people of Latin America, and as a result, football was richer and stronger thanks to your leadership.

In 1994, you did the same with North America.

In 2002, with Asia.

And in 2010, with Africa.

Each time, FIFA made history, helping football fulfill its global destiny through your courage, your vision, and your good judgment.

As Mohammed’s story showed us, the impact of the game goes far beyond what happens on the field. Your decisions have always illustrated that your mandate is not only to improve the game we all love, but to pull the entire world closer together through football.

Bringing the World Cup to the Middle East is the latest – and perhaps the most significant step – in broadening the impact of this great sport.

The impact of awarding a World Cup to our region will be felt at many levels, increasing excitement and hope and generating participation in a young, growing and vibrant population. And it will drive economic development and opportunities.

From my experience based on my feeling that I am not only a mother to my own children but am a mother to an entire generation of youth across the Middle East, I have seen the impact of football on our lives.

It is more than a mere game for us or just one sport among many. It is the sport. We play it all the time, any time.

In 2022, when more than half of the Middle East’s inhabitants will be under 25, a World Cup here will have a deeper impact on more young people in our region than any other. It will also have the greatest future benefits for the game.

From Doha to Damascus, the hope of a generation of youth will be shown to be more than an elusive dream. You will show it can happen here.

I have seen how football keeps young kids motivated and hopeful about what they can accomplish in the rest of their lives. Football shows that persistence leads to success, that problems can be solved through teamwork. It also teaches them values and rules. And if not, a yellow card will result. 

A World Cup in Qatar is an affirmation of a new set of ideas. It will show the Middle East and the entire world that it is possible to bring East and West together. That we can achieve daring goals and overcome difficult challenges. And it’s not only possible, but it is succeeding because of Qatar’s vision and leadership. 

A World Cup in Qatar will mean millions of people traveling to the Middle East for the first time. And billions watching on television will have their most sustained exposure to this part of the world in a way that highlights the beauty and accomplishments of our region – and reduces the distance between us.

A World Cup in Qatar will allow us to work closely with FIFA in the lead up to 2022, providing additional opportunities to our entire region and beyond. Just think of what we can achieve together on behalf of our shared values - working to promote education, development and a culture of peace across our region – through football. 

And a World Cup in Qatar will send an important message to this football obsessed region.

A message that after 92 years of waiting, we are finally a recognized part of the global football family.

So let me go back to my original question.

Ladies and Gentleman.

The time has come.

The time is now.

Mbappe’s France half-time speech — ‘Either we let them play us like idiots or we change things!’

Kylian Mbappe led France half-time speech during Sunday’s World Cup final , imploring the team to take advantage of “the match of a lifetime”.

France were 2-0 down at the time after goals from Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria, and had not had a shot in the first-half .

Mbappe helped France mount a sensational comeback, however, scoring in both the 80th and 81st minute to take the match to extra-time.

He completed his hat-trick in extra-time to level the score at 3-3, but France lost 4-2 on penalties despite Mbappe scoring his spot-kick.

New footage released by French broadcaster TF1 now shows the 23-year-old attempting to motivate his side at half-time, speaking over experienced voices such as Hugo Lloris , Raphael Varane , and coach Didier Deschamps.

Lionel, Kylian, thank you

“It’s the World Cup , guys. it’s the match of a lifetime,” he shouts. “Whatever happens, we can’t do any worse than what we did (in the first half).

“We’re going back out there on to the pitch: either we let them play us like idiots, or we put a bit of intensity into the game, get into the one on ones and change things, guys.

“It’s a World Cup final. We are two goals down. We can come back! Oh guys, something like this only comes round once every four years.”

Mbappe returned to Paris Saint-Germain training on Wednesday, just three days after the final.

PSG next play in the league on December 28.

The images that defined the 2022 World Cup

(Photo: Getty Images)

Get all-access to exclusive stories.

Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.

• CBSSports.com
• Fanatics Sportsbook
• CBS Sports Home
• NCAA Tournament
• W. Tournament
• Champions League
• Motor Sports
• High School
• Horse Racing 

Men's Brackets

Women's Brackets

Fantasy Baseball

Fantasy football, football pick'em, college pick'em, fantasy basketball, fantasy hockey, franchise games, 24/7 sports news network.

• CBS Sports Golazo Network
• March Madness Live
• PGA Tour on CBS
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA Europa League
• Italian Serie A
• Watch CBS Sports Network
• TV Shows & Listings

The Early Edge

A Daily SportsLine Betting Podcast

With the First Pick

NFL Draft is coming up!

• Podcasts Home
• Eye On College Basketball
• The First Cut Golf
• NFL Pick Six
• Cover 3 College Football
• Fantasy Football Today
• Morning Kombat
• My Teams Organize / See All Teams Help Account Settings Log Out

World Cup newsletter: Infantino's bizarre FIFA speech, plus our final predictions ahead of Qatar 2022 opener

Welcome to saturday's edition of the golazo starting xi newsletter.

Today I feel excited. I feel conflicted. I feel 90% made of caffeine. And that's because the World Cup is less than 24 hours away. This is the Golazo Starting XI, and if that opening line confused you, just imagine how everybody felt listening to FIFA president Gianni Infantino deliver an infinitely more bizarre version of it . 

Thankfully, the games start tomorrow. So today we're here to provide you with some basics, to make sure you've got everything you need when Infantino finally stops talking.

And while you're at here, sign up for our new newsletter covering the beautiful game in all its glory, including daily updates about the World Cup, here .

Golazo Starting XI Newsletter

Get your soccer fix from around the globe, your ultimate guide to the beautiful game as our experts take you beyond the pitch and around the globe with news that matters., thanks for signing up, keep an eye on your inbox., there was an error processing your subscription..

Remember, when the World Cup ends and Champions League resumes you'll be able to catch all the action on Paramount+ . Use offer code ALLYEAR now to get 50% off the annual plan. We've got UEFA club competitions, Serie A, NWSL, FA Women's Super League and more just one click away.

⚽  The Forward Line

Back to basics: What to know ahead of World Cup

A very brief, very simple World Cup primer. We have 32 teams paired in eight groups of four. The top two from each group will advance to the knockout stages. There will be matches flying at a breakneck pace in the first two weeks before we get to the final 16. Are these the best 32 teams in the world? Not really. Qualifying is done by region, with each region allotted a certain number of teams. North America, or more technically Concacaf, got three spots automatically plus their fourth best team went to playoffs, which Costa Rica won. So there are four teams (United States, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica) in the tournament. 

Check out our staff picks for our top four:

It will not surprise anybody that Europe and South America are the two powerhouse regions. There has never been a finalist from outside those two continents in the history of the tournament, which dates back to 1930. In fact, there are only two nations that ever finished in the top four from outside Europe and South America. Drumroll please ... the United States of America (1930) and South Korea (2002). In the inaugural edition of the World Cup, the U.S. advanced out of their group directly to the semifinals where they lost to Argentina. South Korea upended Italy and Spain on their way to the top four.

The favorites, at least according to Caesars Sportsbook, are Brazil at +360 and Argentina at +500. They're followed by a handful of European teams: France (the defending champions), Spain, England and Germany. And, if for some reason you really, really, really wanted to bet on somebody not from South America or Europe winning the competition well after you get through the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Uruguay, Croatia and Serbia, you can look to Mexico, Senegal and the United States men's national team (along with Poland, Switzerland and Wales) at +100000. Go nuts, kids.

Here's everything we're providing to help you keep track of the world's biggest soccer tournament.

• We've got a wall chart . It's great. You can fill it out and everything.
• Our schedule post to keep you updated on the basics. Got to know who's playing and when.
• Our staff picks . If nothing else, they'll be very important to hold onto so you can laugh at the dummy who picked England to win.
• Initial Power Rankings . We'll be updating these after each matchday.
• And finally don't miss tomorrow's opening ceremony. Apparently, a performer from BTS will be there .

Craving more World Cup coverage? Listen below and follow House of Champions , a daily CBS Sports soccer podcast, bringing you top-notch analysis, commentary, picks and more during the big games in Qatar. 

🔗  Midfield Link Play

Once more into the Ronaldo breach

Before we go all World Cup all the time, the Cristiano Ronaldo saga with Manchester United keeps on rolling. While he's with Portugal preparing for the main event, Manchester United are back home trying to figure out if they can void his contract after he lit into everybody -- from manager Erik ten Hag to front office staff to Wayne Rooney in pubic -- last week in an incendiary interview. Chuck Booth looks at Ronaldo's legacy . 

Broadcaster Eric Krakauer, who has his finger on the pulse of all things Portugal, joined the House of Champions podcast to make note that "as much as Cristiano Ronaldo is a celebrity globally, in Portugal he is an institution." And on the Bruno Fernandes snub accusations: "Nobody on that team would publicly embarrass him."

Now, let's hit some links:

• Jimmy Conrad is in Doha and  you never know who might pop in to say hi during the live taping of the In Soccer We Trust podcast. Last night, it was Mo Edu and Cobi Jones who joined Conrad, Heath Pearce and Charlie Davies.
• Speaking of  In Soccer We Trust , the crew breaks down who they think should be starting for the USMNT against Wales. 
• Here We Go: Our soccer insider Fabrizio Romano breaks down the impending divorce between Ronaldo and Man United .
• England and Wales say they're prepared to wear the 'One Love' armband even if FIFA fines them for it .
• On the  House of Champions podcast , the guys look at the favorites, Brazil and Argentina. Our Ian Paul Joy says Serbia can make some noise in their group.
• Remember you can catch the Champions League, Serie A, NWSL and more on Paramount+  --  get 50% off the annual plan with promo code ALLYEAR !

Listen below and follow In Soccer We Trust: A CBS Sports Soccer Podcast where your three favorite former USMNT players cover everything you could possibly want to know about the United States men's national team during the World Cup in Qatar.

💰 The Back Lines

Let's pick some winners for the tournament, shall we?  

All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.

• Winning Continent 💰  THE PICK: North/South America (+140). Yesterday, some dummy with a newsletter told you that England were going to win the whole thing. Today, he's telling you to pick a winner from North/South America. What gives? Well, the reason I picked England is that if the bracket holds, Argentina and Brazil are headed for a semifinal showdown making it very hard to pick between them. With the continent bet ... you don't have to. 
• Golden Boot 💰 THE PICK: Harry Kane (+800). Barring injury, he's going to play every minute. He's going to take all of England's penalties, if they get any. He's a set piece machine on a team that loves its set pieces. And, most importantly, England might have the easiest route to the quarterfinals in the tournament. There's a reason he's the favorite
• To Reach the Semifinals 💰 THE PICK: Uruguay (+700). I'm just a big believer in the strength of South America and this bet reflects that in two ways. First, it hinges on Uruguay topping Portugal in their group (a +188 proposition on its own) and then second, it's relies on Brazil not slipping up so that Uruguay face whoever finishes second to Brazil out of Switzerland, Serbia and Cameroon. I like those odds on both fronts.

Our Latest World Cup Stories

Which national team makes sense for Pep Guardiola?

Jonathan johnson • 4 min read.

What to know about 2026 World Cup tickets

Pardeep cattry • 3 min read.

2026 World Cup final in NY; semis in Dallas, Atlanta

Pardeep cattry • 2 min read.

USMNT to open 2026 World Cup campaign in LA

Pardeep cattry • 4 min read.

Messi: 'Most normal thing is that I won't be' at WC

Jonathan johnson • 2 min read.

Sam Kerr, Kristie Mewis announce engagement

Steven taranto • 1 min read.

Infantino's wild FIFA speech, World Cup final picks

Power Rankings: Warriors feeling the play-in heat

Sweet redemption for ACC, Big East

Ranking QBs from '20-24 draft classes

Former star RB touts son as real deal

NFL approves overhaul of kickoff rules for 2024

Ohtani breaks silence on scandal, calls out 'lies'

Clark, Iowa survive West Virginia upset bid

Deion: Colorado stars won't play for certain NFL teams

Titans' Hopkins: Bengals WRs told me I'll love new offense

FIFA president Gianni Infantino's 'offensive' speech highlights 'how dirty the game is'

Embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino continues to cop serious heat as the hours count down to the 2022 World Cup opening ceremony.

Infantino delivered a pre-Cup speech on Saturday which has been panned by all and sundry for its insensitivity and tone deafness.

The Qatar World Cup has been tainted from the start, and is getting no less controversial despite the tournament arriving.

READ MORE: Kangaroos win World Cup to end Samoa fairytale 

READ MORE: FIFA president shredded over 'repulsive' speech

READ MORE: United reveals 'appropriate steps' amid Ronaldo storm

The Qatari government has been heavily criticised for using migrant workers to build the stadiums and other infrastructure, and many of those workers have died in the process.

The gulf nation also has laws banning homosexuality, and has now ruled alcohol will not be sold in any of the stadiums during the World Cup.

Infantino, however, seems to have his blinkers on when it comes to the numerous serious issues.

"What we Europeans have been doing for the past 3000 years we should be apologising for the next 3000 years before we start giving moral lessons to people," Infantino said in a truly bizarre speech.

"Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel a migrant worker."

READ MORE: FIFA president shredded over 'repulsive' speech 

READ MORE: United reveals 'appropriate steps' amid Ronaldo storm 

READ MORE: World Cup's $1.95b squad that dwarfs Socceroos

The tone-deaf FIFA boss was taken to task by Sky Sports reporter Melissa Reddy in a passionate on-air editorial.

"You do not know what it feels like to be gay, you do not know what it feels like to be disabled, you do not know what it feels like to be African," Reddy said.

"You can not conflate being discriminated against because of red hair and freckles to what any of the groups you've just referenced have experienced.

"You can't negate their experience by saying you feel what they feel. It is an absolutely astounding address from the FIFA president, and it's probably even more astounding that he is being reelected unopposed after being allowed to say stuff like this.

"He's also taken the fact that Qatar recruits from the poorest countries in the world, millions who have nothing, and bring them to do what human rights groups call modern slavery. He's saying that's OK because they get paid more than they do at home.

"This is just misleading, disrespectful, offensive. It's just damaging to the cause to trying to get better rights, better conditions for these workers, to try to improve the human rights situation here.

"He also speaks about hypocrisy. I do not think Infantino is the man to speak about hypocrisy, I do not think 'what-about-ism' is the correct route for a FIFA president to try to enforce change.

"If we all get stuck on what's happened before, or what's happening elsewhere, and we have to stay silent because of that, then we will never bring about any effective change.

"We would all just never say anything ever, because no country is untouched and untainted.

"On the eve of the tournament this is what we are getting. He says it will be the best World Cup in history - I think this will be the World Cup that really underpins just how dirty the game is."

Amnesty International put out a statement in response to the Infantino speech.

"In brushing aside legitimate human rights concerns, Gianni Infantino is dismissing the enormous price paid by migrant workers to make this flagship tournament possible, as well as FIFA's responsibility for it," the statement read.

"Demands for equality, dignity, and compensation, can not be treated as some sort of culture war, they are universal human rights that FIFA has committed to respect in its own statutes."

Infantino has not yet clarified or backtracked his speech at all.

 For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here

Every FIFA World Cup squad's dollar value: Eye-watering $919.3 million gulf between Socceroos and Messi's Argentina

• fifa world cup
• Gianni Infantino

More Football

Qatar 2022 Final Draw: All you need to know

FIFA World Cup™ Final Draw takes place on Friday 1 April

All eyes will be on Doha Exhibition and Convention Center

We lay out the plans for procedures, pots and much more

The Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ is almost upon us. And as the eyes of the football world turn towards Qatar, and excitement builds in the nations who’ve sealed their places at the global finals, FIFA.com has all the details about where, when and how the groups and fixtures will be decided.

The Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) in Qatar.

Friday 1 April, 19.00 local time

How to follow

Live stream available in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo - Brazzaville, Congo - Kinshasa, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, São Tomé & Príncipe, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe .

The draw will also be broadcast around the world and you can keep up-to-date via FIFA’s social media accounts accounts on  Twitter , Facebook and Instagram .

Who’s involved

The 32 nations involved in the 2022 World Cup, 29 of which are currently known, will be drawn into eight groups of four. Two of the remaining three spots will be filled by the winners of the Intercontinental Play-offs on 13 or 14 June, with the final berth determined by Path A of the European qualifying play-offs, in which Wales will face off against either Scotland or Ukraine in the final.

The draw will be attended by 2,000 guests and will be led by Carli Lloyd, Jermaine Jenas and Samantha Johnson, assisted by the likes of Cafu (Brazil), Lothar Matthaus (Germany), Adel Ahmed MalAllah (Qatar), Ali Daei (IR Iran), Bora Milutinovic (Serbia/Mexico), Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria), Rabah Madjer (Algeria) and Tim Cahill (Australia).

The Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions outlined that the teams already qualified will be allocated according to sporting principles to Pots 1 to 4 based on the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking released on 31 March. A detailed overview of the draw procedures is available here .

As hosts, Qatar take position A1 from Pot 1, where they are joined by the FIFA Ranking’s seven highest-ranked qualified teams. The countries occupying positions 8-15 on the ranking of the qualified teams have been allocated to Pot 2, while the 16th-23rd best-ranked qualifiers have been placed in Pot 3. Finally, Pot 4 includes the qualified teams in positions 24 to 28, plus three placeholders representing the two winners of the intercontinental play-offs and the remaining UEFA play-off winners.

What’s next

The match schedule will be confirmed after games have been assigned to a stadium and kick-off time for each matchday. The World Cup itself will take place between 21 November and 18 December 2022, with the group stage lasting 12 days and featuring four matches per day.

Success stories from the FIFA World Cup's last expansion

From 1998 to 2022, each edition of the FIFA World Cup™ featured 32 nations. We look back at a glorious and unforgettable era.

From 1998 to 2022 the FIFA World Cup™ was a 32-team competition

Expanding the tournament opened up new opportunities for more teams

Ahead of the expansion to 48 teams in 2026, FIFA.com looks back at that era

On 20 May 1994, just before the start of the first FIFA World Cup™ on US soil, FIFA took a decision that would reshape the future of the global showpiece. From the 1998 edition, which would be played in France, there would no longer be 24 teams in the final competition, but 32. Seven unforgettable and incredibly successful tournaments would follow under the new format.

With the competition now set to undergo another major change with the expansion to 48 teams for the FIFA World Cup 26™, FIFA.com looks back on a glorious chapter that drew to a close on 18 December 2022 when Argentina claimed their third crown in Qatar.

• Quality Automatic Automatic HD
• Speed Normal
• Subtitle Options
• Font family Default
• Font color Default
• Font opacity Default
• Font size Default
• Background color Default
• Background opacity Default
• Window color Default
• Window opacity Default
• Character edge style Default
• Monospaced Serif
• Proportional Serif
• Monospaced Sans-Serif
• Proportional Sans-Serif
• Drop Shadow
• , selected descriptions off

This is a modal window.

• Powered by THEOplayer 2023.3.0

Nineteen new additions to the World Cup family Nineteen new additions to the World Cup family

The decision to expand the FIFA World Cup to 32 teams was an undeniable success, opening up opportunities for many more countries to qualify for football’s greatest competition. No fewer than 19 teams seized their chance to make their debut on the game’s grandest stage in the 1998-2022 period:

AFC: China PR, Japan, Qatar

CAF: South Africa, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Togo

Concacaf: Jamaica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago

CONMEBOL: Ecuador

UEFA: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Iceland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine

In addition to these debutants, the seven editions between 1998 and 2022 also saw some teams that had only briefly experienced the World Cup become tournament regulars. With five appearances apiece during this era, Cameroon, Nigeria and Tunisia developed into African powerhouses, and in 2022, Morocco (three World Cup appearances in the same period) delivered even more proof of the continent’s progress by reaching the last four. It is a similar story for Asia, too, with Korea Republic putting down roots (seven appearances, including a semi-final in 2002), and both Saudi Arabia and IR Iran becoming regulars with five appearances apiece.

Emergence of new heavyweights Emergence of new heavyweights

The expansion also gave many teams the chance to establish themselves on the global stage or to make a welcome return to the fray. It came as little surprise when Japan made it past the group stage at Qatar 2022™, but it is sometimes forgotten that the Samurai Blue only made their World Cup debut in 1998.

The decision to increase the number of slots available to Asia (four slots compared to the previous two), coupled with the stunning progress made in the Land of the Rising Sun, enabled Japan to establish themselves, and they too have been World Cup ever-presents since the expansion to 32 teams.

There are similar examples in other parts of the world. Ecuador, for example, certainly benefited from the higher number of slots available to the powerful South American zone, qualifying for the 2002 competition and three further editions since.

In Europe, where the race to qualify has always been fiercely contested, the expansion also led to more big guns securing a place at the men’s flagship event. For most people, the presence of Portugal is now almost a given as they have been at every World Cup since 2002, but it also should not be forgotten that, prior to Korea/Japan 2002™, the Portuguese had only graced two of the 16 previous editions.

Switzerland are another fine example. Although they had played in several World Cups prior to the 1970s, the expansion opened the door for them to make a welcome return. It was an opportunity that they grasped with both hands, as they too have been at every World Cup since Germany 2006. Similarly, Denmark had only made one appearance prior to the expansion, but they have qualified for five editions since that decision in 1994.

Seven tournaments in 24 years, 68 participants Seven tournaments in 24 years, 68 participants

One thing that set the 32-team era apart from the previous editions is the fact that the tournament became far more inclusive under the new format. Nine teams were ever-presents between 1998 and 2022 (Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Japan, Korea Republic, Mexico, Spain), but the expansion also saw an impressive number of teams – 68 – take a seat at the table, making the World Cup even more global than ever before.

In Jamaica, for example, nobody will ever forget the incredible emotions associated with seeing the Reggae Boyz go up against Argentina and the likes of Gabriel Batistuta and Ariel Ortega in 1998. Iceland, a country of just 400,000 people, also caused a sensation by qualifying for Russia 2018™. In 2010, New Zealand surprised many by remaining unbeaten and securing three draws. Having co-hosted the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ last year, they too are now aiming to return to the pinnacle of the men’s game.

With the FIFA World Cup 26 set to host 16 more teams than Qatar 2022, the tournament will certainly keep on producing unforgettable stories. One thing is for sure: whether it is the more established teams returning to the table once more, or teams taking their very first steps on the global stage, or nations making a comeback after 26 years in the World Cup wilderness, football’s biggest tournament will once again set pulses racing across the world.

Facts and figures from 1998-2022 Facts and figures from 1998-2022

Since 1998, the number of African teams that have qualified for a World Cup has doubled, from six to 12.

Thirty-one European teams – more than half of all UEFA members (55) – played in at least one World Cup between 1998 and 2022.

Eight of the 10 South American teams played in a 32-team FIFA World Cup – only Bolivia and Venezuela did not make it.

Nine teams played in all seven editions between 1998 and 2022, closely followed by the USA and Croatia, who both appeared in six.

As well as Switzerland, Japan and Portugal, another team that made incredible progress on the world stage between 1998 and 2022 is Australia, who have played in all five editions since 2006. In the same period, the Socceroos also joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Media Release

Fédération Internationale de Football Association

FIFA Strasse 20, P.O Box 8044 Zurich, Switzerland, +41 (0) 43 222 7777

FIFA and FIFPRO launch social media protection service at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™

New service aims to monitor and moderate hate speech on social media

All players from 32 participating teams to be offered service during FIFA World Cup

Brazilian footballer Willian welcomes new service following negative online experiences

To tackle discrimination and to protect the mental health and well-being of players, FIFA and FIFPRO – the worldwide representative organisation for professional footballers – are launching a social media protection service (SMPS) in advance of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. Through SMPS, all players from all 32 participating member associations at the FIFA World Cup will have access to a dedicated monitoring, reporting and moderation service designed to minimise visibility of hate speech aimed at them on social media and, therefore, protecting both players and their fans from online abuse during the tournament. “FIFA is committed to provide the best possible conditions for players to perform to the best of their abilities. At the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, we are happy to launch a service that will help to protect players from the damaging effects that social media posts can cause to their mental health and well-being,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. “It is football’s responsibility to protect the players and other affected groups against the abuse they increasingly face in and around their workplace. This type of abuse has a profound impact on their personalities, their families, performance as well as on their overall well-being and mental health,” said FIFPRO President David Aganzo. “We hope that the social media protection service provides a starting point to help to defend participants from abusive messages and that social media companies join and support us in tackling the issue at the FIFA World Cup.” Former Brazil forward Willian is supporting the launch of the FIFA social media protection service, having experienced first-hand the difficulties related to online abuse. His recent experience playing in Brazil – where his family were threatened and abused online – forced him to return to England, where he is now playing for Fulham FC. “I was suffering a lot, and my family were suffering a lot because people started attacking us on social media, attacking my family, my daughters, and that’s why I’m standing now with FIFA to see if you can stop these kinds of things,” Willian said.

Willian recalls anguish of online abuse

16 Nov 2022

The launch of the social media protection service follows the publication of two independent reports produced by FIFA and FIFPRO in June 2022 that highlighted the increasing degree of abuse directed at footballers across social media platforms during international tournaments. As a result, FIFA is monitoring the social media accounts of all participants at the FIFA World Cup by scanning for public-facing abusive, discriminatory and threatening comments and then reporting them to social networks and law authorities for real-world action against those who break rules. Teams, players and other individual participants will also be able to opt-in to a moderation service that will instantly hide abusive and offensive comments on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, preventing them from being seen by the recipient and their followers. As well as launching the FIFA social media protection service, FIFA and FIFPRO are engaging with social media platforms to have their support in being part of the solution.

Moscow rampage reveals ambition, deadly reach of ISIS successor groups

Before friday’s massacre, isis spinoffs were on the march from north africa to south asia. one group appears laser-focused on terrorist attacks abroad..

A few months before being killed in a U.S. Special Forces raid, Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi released a final video message that symbolically passed the torch to far-flung followers in distant lands. His self-declared caliphate had been defeated, he acknowledged, and it was now up to the terrorist group’s regional chapters to carry out “revenge operations” around the world.

“Our battle today is one of attrition and stretching the enemy,” Baghdadi said in the April 2019 video, released just after the fall of the Islamic State’s last stronghold in Syria. “They should know that jihad is ongoing until the Day of Judgment.”

Friday’s bloodbath at a suburban Moscow concert hall is but the latest reminder of how effectively Baghdadi’s brutal vision is being carried out. While his self-proclaimed Middle East “caliphate” is in ruins, a constellation of Islamic State regional affiliates is gaining strength in many parts of the globe, fueled by a mix of traditional grievances as well as new ones, including the war in Gaza , counterterrorism officials and experts say.

Some Islamic State chapters or “provinces” in Africa now support large, well-equipped armies. Especially in West Africa and the Sahel region, they have repeatedly shown an ability to seize and hold territory and beat back government forces when they try to intervene, counterterrorism officials and experts say.

By contrast, Islamic State-Khorasan — the hyperviolent strain linked to the Moscow attack, known commonly as ISIS-K — appears to be increasingly specializing in external attacks. The group has dispatched terrorist operatives to Russia, Iran and Turkey while also plotting attacks against Western countries, including the United States, U.S. intelligence reports show . In two attacks just so far this year, in Iran and Russia, ISIS-K terrorists targeted large groups of civilians, killing nearly 250 people — assaults that were celebrated by the Islamic State’s propaganda organs as proof that the group is again on the ascent.

“For ISIS, these operations are its way of sending a message to the world that it remains a relevant, deadly threat,” said Rita Katz, an expert on violent extremist organizations and founder of SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors and analyzes social media postings by the Islamic State.

ISIS-K, the most operationally oriented group, is rapidly evolving by establishing cells and seeking recruits across Central Asia, specifically those who speak Tajik, Uzbek, Farsi and other local languages, she said. “Today it is a deadly and capable ‘province’ whose tentacles reach across Central Asia, including in regions of former Soviet states,” Katz said.

The Islamic State quickly claimed responsibility for Friday’s rampage through the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Krasnogorsk, a few miles west of central Moscow. U.S. counterterrorism officials say they believe it was ISIS-K, specifically, that recruited the four gunmen who fired automatic weapons at concertgoers before setting fire to the building, killing at least 139 in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the history of modern Russia.

More attacks may be coming, counterterrorism officials warn. In a development that has been largely overshadowed by the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, ISIS-K and other regional groups have been expanding in size and ambition in recent years.

In the past 12 months, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for more than 1,100 attacks that killed or wounded nearly 5,000 people globally, according to a terrorism monitoring project launched last week by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), a think tank. An Islamic State group in Mali, in North Africa’s Sahel region, seized portions of two provinces last year, and other African affiliates have taken over towns in Somalia and in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado regions, according to WINEP researcher Aaron Zelin.

Even in Syria and Iraq, where thousands of the group’s fighters dispersed after a four-year campaign by a U.S.-led military coalition, the Islamic State remains a potent threat, said Dana Stroul, the Pentagon’s deputy assistant secretary for the Middle East during the first three years of the Biden administration.

“The group remains capable of planning and executing small-scale attacks,” Stroul said. Islamic State leaders in Syria appear particularly focused on engineering breakouts at prisons and detention camps, she said, noting that such facilities in eastern Syria collectively house 9,000 seasoned veterans of the Islamic State’s terrorist army.

But it is ISIS-K that has emerged as the Islamic State’s main affiliate for conducting external attacks. Friday’s assault near Moscow comes two months after a pair of suicide bombers killed 100 people at a memorial ceremony in southeastern Iran, an attack also linked to ISIS-K.

The splinter group was founded in Afghanistan in 2015 and emerged as a violent antagonist to the country’s Taliban leadership after the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. While the Taliban has succeeded in killing many of the group’s leaders, ISIS-K has adapted by establishing roots across neighboring countries that were once part of the Soviet empire.

For ISIS-K and its parent organization, the targeting of Russia is deliberate. Islamic State propaganda has railed against Russian President Vladimir Putin since Moscow intervened in Syria’s civil war in 2015, sending bomber aircraft and helicopters to attack rebel groups opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The rebels included an array of Islamist militias, including Islamic State fighters and groups backed by al-Qaeda.

Assad ultimately prevailed, mostly due to military assistance from Russia and Iran, Syria’s closest ally. Islamist groups since then have repeatedly condemned Putin as having the blood of Muslims on his hands.

Many also remember Putin’s harsh campaign against Muslim Chechen separatists in Russia in the early 2000s. Chechen militants carried out three deadly suicide bombings in Moscow’s Metro in the 2000s, and staged a mass hostage-taking at a Moscow theater in 2002. Russia’s deadliest terrorist attack was carried out by Chechen militants who besieged a school in the town of Beslan in the northern Caucasus region in 2004, holding 1,100 people hostage. The siege ended in a violent assault that left nearly 350 people dead, many of them children.

More recently, ISIS-K appears to have assumed the mantle as chief avenger. In September 2022, ISIS-K claimed responsibility for a bomb attack outside the Russian Embassy in Kabul, which killed two employees and three other people. Last year, ISIS-K set up a Tajik-language propaganda network, ramping up efforts to recruit members in autocratic Central Asian states, which the group portrays as Moscow’s puppets. Multiple Telegram channels in Tajik, Uzbek and Russian transmit Islamic State propaganda and glorify Tajik militants who have taken part in attacks in Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The four men accused of carrying out Friday’s attack were identified in Russian media as Tajik migrant workers, at least three of whom had Russian registration papers.

The attacks highlighted Russia’s continued vulnerability to attacks by Islamist militants. Russian officials have not attributed Friday’s attack to any specific group. Late Monday, Putin acknowledged that the weekend assault was carried out by “radical Islamists,” while asserting without evidence that Ukrainian operatives may have provided assistance — an accusation that Ukraine has vehemently denied. Since the arrest of the four suspects, images and video showing the perpetrators before and during the attack have been posted online by the Islamic State-linked media outlet Amaq News Agency, appearing to confirm their identity.

Despite the arrests, in an indication of Moscow’s ongoing concern, Putin on Saturday called leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Syria, all nations where Islamic State militants are known to operate or to recruit members. In recent years, Russia’s Federal Security Service also has reported multiple operations against Islamic State militants, including an ISIS-K cell in Kaluga, southwest of Moscow, this month, which was allegedly planning an attack on a Moscow synagogue.

At a meeting of security officials last October, FSB director Alexander Bortnikov warned that ISIS-K members now numbered more than 6,500 and could start launching attacks outside of Afghanistan “in the near future.” U.S. intelligence reports, some of them leaked last year on the Discord messaging platform and obtained by The Washington Post , also cited ISIS-K plots targeting European and Asian countries as well as “aspirational plotting” against the United States.

The leaked documents revealed specific efforts to target embassies, churches, business centers and the 2022 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, which drew more than 2 million spectators in Qatar.

Neither the Islamic State nor ISIS-K have linked the Russian attacks to the ongoing fighting in Gaza. But the deaths of Palestinian Muslims during Israel’s retaliatory campaign against Hamas have prominently featured on social media platforms as incitement for new waves of terrorist attacks, including against Western countries.

While the Islamic State has historically opposed Hamas because of its Iranian ties, ISIS spokesmen have lionized Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel as a model for a low-tech terrorist campaign that produces high numbers of casualties and generates enormous media attention, according to Middle Eastern and European intelligence officials.

“Hamas has succeeded in being in the media for months now, and that has created a situation where other jihadist groups feel the need to prove to their followers and members that they can also hit strong countries,” said an Arab intelligence official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

A European intelligence official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information, said his government expected that aspiring terrorists, enraged by Gaza, will draw inspiration from the events at the Moscow concert hall. Likewise, he said, the attack could provide fresh encouragement for Islamic State factions competing with one another for money, recruits and recognition.

“We have unfortunately to prepare ourselves,” the official said, “for a scenario where there will be other attempts made.”

Dixon reported from Riga, Latvia. Warrick and Mekhennet reported from Washington.

What to know about Ukraine’s counteroffensive

The latest: The Ukrainian military has launched a long-anticipated counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces , opening a crucial phase in the war aimed at restoring Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and preserving Western support in its fight against Moscow.

The fight: Ukrainian troops have intensified their attacks on the front line in the southeast region, according to multiple individuals in the country’s armed forces, in a significant push toward Russian-occupied territory.

The front line: The Washington Post has mapped out the 600-mile front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces .

How you can help: Here are ways those in the United States can support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating.

Read our full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war . Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video .