Gianni Infantino’s Late Arrival Delays FIFA Congress

In an unprecedented turn of events, Gianni Infantino, the head of global soccer, arrived late at the FIFA Congress in Asuncion, Paraguay, from his Middle East trip with U.S. President Donald Trump, forcing the global governing body to delay the event.

For the first time in modern history, Infantino arrived late to FIFA’s annual Congress where soccer officials from 211 member associations gather to discuss the global game and good governance.

In the morning, delegates in Asuncion received an email explaining that “due to unforeseen circumstances” the Congress had been moved back to 12.30 pm. It was the second time the Congress had been moved after a previous switch from 9.30 am to 10.30 am to accommodate the FIFA president and his tour of the Middle East with U.S. President Trump. The soccer boss chose to travel with the U.S. president to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. On Wednesday, Infantino was among the guests of the Emir of Qatar at a state dinner.

Qatar staged the 2022 World Cup, the first global finals in the Middle East. Last year, FIFA awarded the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia following an expedited bidding process with no other candidates. It will be the second global finals in the region after the Qatar edition was overshadowed by reports of persistent labour abuses of migrant workers.

Infantino has also established strong ties to U.S. President Trump in a relationship that seems to exceed to typical understanding between a soccer official and a sitting head of state. Infantino attended U.S. President Trump’s inauguration in Washington D.C. on 20 January. Next year, the U.S. will co-host the World Cup with Canada and Mexico.

But his late arrival in Paraguay left delegates angry. Serving as the headquarters of Conmebol, the regional soccer confederation, the South American country is hosting the FIFA congress for the first time amid the deployment of a huge security operation. Tanks and soldiers with riffles have lined the streets of the Paraguayan capital all week.