FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich became the centre of a political art protest after Italian activist Laika displayed two works criticising Donald Trump, Gianni Infantino and the organisation of the 2026 World Cup.
The intervention took place outside FIFA’s offices in Switzerland and focused on concerns over United States immigration policy, border control and the wider human rights debate surrounding the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup is being staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada, with FIFA promoting the competition under a message of unity. Laika’s protest, however, challenged that image directly.
One of the works, titled “Death Cup”, showed Trump and FIFA president Infantino holding a version of the World Cup trophy redesigned as a skull. The image was placed near FIFA’s headquarters on FIFA Strasse and was intended as a criticism of what the artist sees as the commercialisation of football at the expense of human rights.
A second piece, titled “FIFA Crime Cup 2026”, depicted a Mexico supporter wearing the national team shirt, standing with his hands raised while being searched by two officers. One of the officers carried the badge of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The work points to the tension between the World Cup’s message of inclusion and the realities faced by migrants at the United States border. For Laika, the tournament cannot be separated from the political environment in one of its host nations.
The protest also placed renewed focus on FIFA’s relationship with political leaders. Infantino has faced criticism over his public closeness to Trump in the build-up to the tournament, at a time when the United States is preparing to host the majority of matches.
FIFA has long presented the World Cup as a global celebration capable of bringing people together. But with the 2026 edition being staged across three countries and played in a tense political climate, the tournament is already carrying issues that go far beyond football.
Laika’s intervention was designed to force those questions onto FIFA’s doorstep. It was a clear message that, for some campaigners, the biggest sporting event in the world cannot be judged only by goals, crowds and television figures.
As the countdown to the World Cup continues, the protest underlines the growing scrutiny on FIFA, its host nations and the human rights responsibilities attached to staging football’s biggest event.
