Credit: The Guardian
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Claim: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been summoned to appear before a FIFA court at the end of the World Cup over alleged corruption and favouritism toward Argentina and Lionel Messi. The report claims the information was sourced from Fabrizio Romano.
Verdict: False. There is no evidence that FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been summoned to appear before a FIFA court over alleged corruption or favouritism toward Argentina or Lionel Messi.
Full Text
A Facebook post claims that FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been summoned to appear before a “FIFA court” at the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup over alleged corruption and favouritism toward Argentina and Lionel Messi. The post further attributes the claim to sports journalist Fabrizio Romano (archived here).
The claim has generated significant engagement, with many users believing that FIFA has officially initiated legal proceedings against its president. Due to its potential to mislead the public, DUBAWA decided to verify the claim (archived here).
Verification
DUBAWA conducted an independent verification of the claim. The fact-checker searched the official FIFA website and newsroom for any announcement stating that Gianni Infantino had been summoned before a FIFA court over corruption or favouritism. The search returned no such statement, press release, disciplinary notice, or official announcement.
We also reviewed Fabrizio Romano’s official X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram accounts, where he typically publishes exclusive football news. It found no post, report, or statement in which he claimed that Infantino had been summoned by any FIFA court over alleged favouritism toward Argentina or Lionel Messi.
DUBAWA also examined reports from several credible international sports outlets like CNN Sports, ESPN, and Sky Sports. None reported that FIFA had summoned its president before a FIFA court over allegations of corruption or favouritism.
Conclusion
There is no evidence that FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been summoned to appear before a FIFA court over alleged corruption or favouritism toward Argentina or Lionel Messi. Likewise, there is no record of Fabrizio Romano publishing such a report.
