European walkout after late Infantino delays FIFA Congress
FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks at FIFA's Congress in Paraguay on Thursday, where European delegates left early following the football supremo's late arrival (DANIEL DUARTE)
European delegates staged a walkout at FIFA's Congress in Paraguay on Thursday after world football chief Gianni Infantino jetted in late for the session following meetings in Saudi Arabia and Qatar with US President Donald Trump.
FIFA President Infantino's late arrival at the global governing body's annual meeting caused a delay of more than two hours.
Advertisement
Several representatives from European football associations -- including UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin -- cut short their attendance after Infantino called a recess at the event taking place in Luque, outside Asuncion.
Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness expressed dismay at Infantino in a statement circulated to reporters.
"The delayed arrival of the FIFA President at the 75th FIFA Congress is disappointing," Klaveness said.
"The annual congress is the single most important body to ensure good governance of international football. The situation is concerning. 210 member associations have traveled from all over the world to participate at this Congress here in Paraguay, expecting professional leadership and dialogue at the highest level.
Advertisement
"I understand the frustration and disappointment from European FIFA members, and we feel sorry for the excellent hosts in Paraguay."
- Infantino apology -
Infantino for his part issued an apology for his tardiness in remarks to the congress before the delegates left.
Infantino blamed flight problems for his late arrival but stressed the importance of attending the meetings in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the hosts of the 2022 and 2034 World Cups respectively.
"As FIFA president, my responsibility is to make decisions in the best interests of the organization (...) I felt I had to be there to represent football and all of you," Infantino said of his visit to the Gulf.
Advertisement
The FIFA leader accompanied Trump -- who he visited last week at the White House -- on his tour of both countries.
The United States will take centre stage for FIFA over the coming years, hosting next month's inaugural Club World Cup before staging the 2026 World Cup with Canada and Mexico next year, with the Women's World Cup in 2031.
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom declined to elaborate on Infantino's late arrival following the meeting.
"I have no comment on that; he explained the reasons why it was delayed. He had important matters to discuss. We had a great Congress," he told reporters.
Advertisement
- 'No-one left out' -
Thursday's meeting wrapped with no major decisions taken.
Alejandro Dominguez, the head of South American federation CONMEBOL, meanwhile used the occasion to comment on preparations for the 2030 World Cup.
Dominguez, who has recently pushed a controversial proposal for the tournament to be expanded from 48 to 64 teams, said he believed "no-one" should be left out of the event, which marks the World Cup's centenary.
"A World Cup is the most popular celebration on planet Earth, and no one should be left out of that celebration," Dominguez said, without explicitly mentioning his idea of expansion.
Advertisement
Dominguez's proposal -- which would allow for more matches to be held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay while the bulk of games would remain in Spain, Morocco and Portugal -- has met with stiff opposition throughout the football world.
The presidents of the ruling football bodies in Europe, Asia and Central America, the Caribbean, and North America have all spoken out against expansion.
"I'm not inviting you to change your position, but rather to reflect together on creating something worthy of history," Dominguez said.
tev/raa/iga/rcw/ea
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
38 minutes ago
- Business Upturn
Ronaldo reach another milestone as Portugal lifts Nations League trophy
Portugal national football team has won the UEFA Nations League with a superb victory against Spain. By Ravi Kumar Jha Published on June 9, 2025, 08:31 IST Portugal national football team has won the UEFA Nations League with a superb victory against Spain. The game was so tight that it went onto penalties. The 2-2 scoreline says how equal the team were in their performance. Spain scored the first goal of the game when Zubimendi hits it sweetly. Nuno Mendes didn't take much time to equalise the scoreline. However, it was Oyarzabal who made it 2-1 in the first half. Portugal did score in the second half and it was none other than the legend of the game Cristiano Ronaldo. 5-3 was the penalties scoreline after Spain missed their 4th kick. Portugal clinched the UEFA Nations League title with a thrilling victory over Spain, emerging 5-3 winners on penalties after a fiercely contested 2-2 draw in regular time. With this win, Ronaldo reached yet another milestone as he has 3 national trophies now with Portugal. The final lived up to its billing, showcasing high-quality football from both European giants. Spain drew first blood when Martín Zubimendi struck a beautiful goal to give La Roja an early lead. However, Portugal responded quickly through Nuno Mendes, who levelled the score with a powerful finish. The back-and-forth drama continued as Mikel Oyarzabal put Spain ahead once again before the half-time whistle. But Portugal, refusing to back down, found their equaliser in the second half thanks to none other than Cristiano Ronaldo, who once again proved his worth on the big stage. Ravi kumar jha is an undergraduate student in Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia and Mass Communication. A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication and he also has a genuine interest in sports. Ravi is currently working as a journalist at
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Rand Paul slams Graham's push for Russian sanctions as ‘self-defeating economic warfare'
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) slammed Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) push for Russian sanctions, calling his bill 'self-defeating economic warfare.' Graham's sanctions bill on Russia would impose a 500 percent tariff on imports from any country that buys Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products. The legislation has more than 80 co-sponsors in the Senate, potentially making it veto-proof. But GOP senators are waiting on President Trump to move ahead with the legislation, and Trump said this week he hasn't even looked at it. Trump has also said he doesn't want to undermine the chances of a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. Paul, in a series of posts on X on Saturday, said the bill would be ineffective and backfire against efforts to achieve peace, as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in its fourth year. 'The Graham bill would derail President Trump's efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Self-defeating economic warfare is no way to achieve peace,' Paul said on X. 'This bill won't force China or India to change behavior, but it will impose an effective embargo on ourselves that will hurt American families,' he said. Paul also argued that the bill could hurt U.S. allies and raise gas prices. 'The Graham bill could raise tariffs on allies like Israel and Taiwan to 500 percent and potentially even higher. Why are we punishing our friends while pretending it'll hold Russia accountable? This isn't strategy—it's economic self-sabotage,' he wrote. 'Cutting off Russian oil takes a major source of supply off the market, resulting in higher gas prices. Analysts warned that a U.S. ban on Russian oil could cause prices to hit $160–$200 a barrel. That's $5+ gas at the pump,' he said. Graham, this past week, sought to address some of those concerns by proposing a carveout for his bill to exempt countries that aid in Ukraine's defense. The carveout could help insulate countries in Europe that still import Russian gas and have provided military support for Ukraine, as well as other U.S. partners that have straddled the line between maintaining ties with Moscow and providing assistance to Kyiv. 'A lot of countries still buy Russian oil and gas but less. Some European countries still have relationships with Russia, but they've been very helpful to Ukraine. So I want to carve them out,' Graham told reporters Wednesday. 'I tell China, if you don't want to have a 500 percent tariff, help Ukraine.'
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Soccer fan dies after fall during Nations League final between Spain and Portugal
A soccer fan died during the Nations League final between Spain and Portugal on Sunday after falling from an overhead level onto a media area below. A UEFA official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give details, confirmed a person sustained fatal injuries from a fall. CNN has reached out to UEFA for comment. The incident occurred during the first period of extra time at the Munich stadium, when tension was high between rival players, and fans were becoming more animated. Medical personnel, stewards and police cordoned off the area. Portugal went on to win the game on penalties. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente addressed the incident at the start of his postgame news conference. 'Before we begin with the questions, I would like to express my condolences because a fan died in the stands today,' de la Fuente said. 'My condolences to the family.'
