The International Football Federation “FIFA” allocated a specific scandal for Algeria at the beginning of the 2026 World Cup, due to its imprisonment of a sports journalist, in an unprecedented case globally.
Thus, FIFA President Gianni Infantino held a press conference in the Mexican capital with a notable symbolic initiative, reserving an empty seat and officially recognizing the 2026 World Cup for French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes, who is imprisoned in Algeria.
Infantino described Gleizes as “the only sports journalist imprisoned in the world,” and called on the Algerian president to grant him a humanitarian presidential pardon so he could attend the 2026 World Cup matches.
Infantino stated during the conference: “We want to see Christophe here with us at the World Cup. We have reserved his seat, and we hope he can occupy it soon.”
Gleizes was arrested in May 2024 while covering activities of the JS Kabylie Club in the city of Tizi Ouzou as well as the Kabyle Republic national team, which seeks independence from Algeria. He was sentenced in June 2025 to seven years in prison on charges of “promoting terrorism,” a ruling upheld by the Court of Appeals despite widespread international protests from press freedom organizations.
Infantino invited the parents of the French journalist to attend the match between France and Senegal in the World Cup, in a step aimed at highlighting his case. This initiative from FIFA is the most prominent so far in support of the imprisoned journalist, amidst increasing demands from human rights and media organizations for his immediate release.
