Comedian Michael McIntyre has described an awkward meeting with FIFA president Gianni Infantino during a 2026 World Cup match in North America, where the tournament is nearing its conclusion with the quarter-final stage almost complete.
McIntyre's awkward encounter
Appearing as a guest on Saturday's episode of the Rest is Football show on Netflix, hosted by Gary Lineker alongside former Chelsea star Joe Cole, McIntyre recounted the incident. Lineker asked the comedian about his meeting with Infantino at a recent World Cup match.
“I was with some people, and I can’t deny, it was a good ticket, I was very fortunate,” McIntyre said. “And then one of the nice people I was with said, ‘Gianni’s coming in’, and I didn’t know who that was. But then Infantino was there.”
Lineker then asked if McIntyre had requested that Infantino overturn the suspension of England defender Jarell Quansah, who was sent off in England's 3-2 victory over Mexico in the last-16. McIntyre continued: “I actually said one word, and I don’t know if it even is a word. I just shook his hand and said, ‘FIFA’. “I was going to build to something. My brain was going, ‘What do I say?’ FIFA was the subject of the email, but I never got to the contents; I just said ‘FIFA’.”
FIFA controversy over Balogun suspension
The meeting comes amid controversy at the World Cup, sparked by FIFA's decision to suspend the ban handed to United States striker Folarin Balogun after his red card earlier in the competition. Despite Balogun being sent off against Bosnia & Herzegovina, he was allowed to play in the USA's next match against Belgium following intervention from US President Donald Trump, a decision that has proved controversial and has not been well-received in the football world. Balogun started for the co-host USA as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the last-16 tie in Seattle earlier this week.
England are facing Norway in their quarter-final tie, aiming to book a place in the semi-final where Argentina or Switzerland would be their opponents.
