Switzerland witnessed protest demonstrations against the policies of the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) and its president, Gianni Infantino, where participants expressed their rejection of what they described as the "commodification of football".
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Switzerland to express their rejection of the path taken by the international organization responsible for the game. The protesters raised banners denouncing the "commodification of football" and its transformation into a purely commercial activity, in addition to directing scathing criticism at institutional corruption, the pressure of competitive match schedules that exhaust players, as well as protesting against the modern investment models imposed by FIFA at the expense of the enjoyment and integrity of the game.
These protests came after the Swiss national team was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup following their loss to Argentina in the quarter-finals, in a match that sparked widespread controversy due to refereeing decisions.
Swiss national team coach Murat Yakin expressed his anger at the course of the match, stressing that his team did not deserve to be eliminated in this manner. He said that Switzerland not only faced a strong Argentinian team, but also a difficult crowd atmosphere, refereeing decisions, and video technology that affected the match.
Yakin criticized some of the refereeing decisions, saying that some of the cards and decisions were not clear, and that the video technology did not intervene appropriately. He stressed that the Swiss team performed well during the tournament but felt wronged because of the impact of the refereeing decisions on the result of the match.
