FIFA reverses language rule after Vinícius and Hakimi protests; Spanish now permitted at all World Cup press conferences

A restrictive start

When the 2026 World Cup kicked off, FIFA limited the languages permitted in post-match and pre-match press conferences to English plus the official languages of the two competing teams. The rule was designed around logistical requests: each national federation was asked to pre-select its desired interpretation languages, and Spanish was not among them for several early matches. The omission quickly created awkward moments.

Three viral confrontations

The most emblematic incident came on 12 June, after Brazil's opening match against Morocco in New Jersey. A Spanish journalist asked a question in English to comply with the protocol, but Vinícius Júnior interrupted:

“It's better.”

The Brazilian forward wanted the reporter to switch to Spanish. A FIFA mediator replied:

“We do not have Spanish remote interpretation. Ask in English or in the languages we use today.”

Vinícius eventually answered in Portuguese.

That same press conference, Achraf Hakimi, the Moroccan defender born and raised in Madrid, heard a Mexican reporter cut off for asking a question in Spanish.

“Ok, ok, I understand you,”

Hakimi said, trying to let the exchange continue. The question went ahead in Spanish, but his answer came in English.

On Saturday 13 June, Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who plays his club football in Barcelona, faced the same restriction before his team's match against Japan. When a Mexican journalist began in Spanish, a moderator insisted on English, Japanese or Dutch.

“I don't mind,”

De Jong replied, but the answer was delivered in English.

Host nation anomaly

The exclusion drew sharp criticism because Spanish is the official language of Mexico, one of the three co-hosts alongside the United States and Canada. It is also the second most spoken language in the United States, with more than 57 million speakers. Mexico hosts 13 tournament matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, and eight of the 48 participating nations have Spanish as an official language. Many observers deemed it paradoxical that a language so central to the region would be absent from official briefings.

Swift FIFA reversal

On Sunday 14 June, FIFA reversed course. A source told AFP that translation services are normally requested by each national team, but that Spanish will now be integrated into all press conferences. The organisation also activated a simultaneous interpretation option in Spanish on its official website. The move was widely seen as a direct response to the viral backlash on social media.

Operational change

From now on, Spanish translators will be available at every press conference across all host countries, regardless of whether the teams competing speak the language. The rule applies to matches outside Mexico and to fixtures where neither side has Spanish as its native tongue. FIFA has added the necessary interpretation capabilities to multimedia systems in all stadiums, ensuring that the second language of the tournament is no longer left out.