A number of delegates at the annual FIFA Congress walked out on Thursday, signaling their displeasure with President Gianni Infantino, whose significant delay in arrival forced the meeting to be postponed by several hours. Infantino`s late appearance was due to his return journey from a trip to the Middle East, which involved meetings with various figures, including former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The yearly assembly, held this year in Asuncion, Paraguay, was initially scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. local time but was rescheduled for 12:30 p.m. because of Infantino`s travel plans. According to reports from The Athletic, his Qatari private jet was still in the air at the original start time, and his extended flight path included a refueling stop in Nigeria.
After the delayed start, several European representatives, including the eight UEFA members on the FIFA council and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, reportedly did not rejoin the meeting.
Infantino had been in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, accompanying Trump during discussions with Qatar`s Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Arabia`s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The FIFA president has had multiple engagements with Trump over time, particularly related to upcoming football events. These included attending inauguration-related events and visiting the White House for what FIFA described as official business regarding the 2025 Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. is co-hosting. Infantino was also present at a recent World Cup task force meeting at the White House.
Infantino chose to undertake this trip to the Middle East despite it conflicting with pre-planned events in Asuncion, including the Congress meeting itself, which was reportedly delayed by two days to accommodate his schedule. His absence meant he missed opportunities to connect with the presidents and general secretaries of all FIFA member associations and skipped a dinner hosted by Paraguayan state officials on Wednesday.
Upon finally arriving in Asuncion, Infantino offered an apology for his tardiness while also defending his actions. He stated that his presence in the Middle East was crucial for important conversations regarding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the expected 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, and the 2025/2026 World Cups in North America, emphasizing that he felt it was his duty to represent football in these discussions. He also mentioned an issue with their flight as contributing to the specific delay on the day of the Congress.
However, Infantino`s explanation did not entirely placate the attendees, leading to the subsequent walkout. Among those departing were several officials from European countries. Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation, was notably critical of Infantino`s behavior, calling the delayed arrival disappointing. She highlighted the Congress`s importance for international football governance and the disruption caused to the 210 member associations who had traveled from around the globe to attend, expecting professional leadership.
The agenda for the 75th FIFA Congress included regular business items such as reviewing FIFA`s annual report, conducting elections for various committees (including the disciplinary, ethics, appeal, and governance committees), and discussing proposals submitted by member associations.
Adrian Whitmore