FIFA President Gianni Infantino gestures as he arrives for a state dinner hosted by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in honor of President Donald Trump at Lusail Palace in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signs a FIFA soccer ball as President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino look on, at the Lusail Palace, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Doha, Qatar, as they marked the passing of World Cup hosting duties from Qatar, which held it in 2022, to the United States, which is hosting in 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Infantino’s late arrival from Trump tour in Middle East delays start of FIFA annual meeting
ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) 鈥 FIFA president Gianni Infantino鈥檚 late arrival from the Middle East, where he joined U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 state visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week, delayed the opening of FIFA鈥檚 annual meeting of 211 member federations on Thursday.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino gestures as he arrives for a state dinner hosted by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in honor of President Donald Trump at Lusail Palace in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) 鈥 FIFA president Gianni Infantino鈥檚 late arrival from the Middle East, where he joined U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 state visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week, delayed the opening of FIFA鈥檚 annual meeting of 211 member federations on Thursday.
Infantino鈥檚 flight in a Qatari private jet to Paraguay from Doha, via a stop in Nigeria, was still in the air at the 9:30 a.m. local time (1230 GMT) scheduled start of the meeting he was to address in Asuncion.
The flight eventually landed about one hour before the meeting got started more than three hours late.
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Infantino apologized to his audience several times, citing issues with his flight for the delay and insisting it was important he represented soccer at the political meetings in the Middle East.
鈥淎s president of FIFA my responsibility is to make decisions in the interests of the organization,” Infantino said. “I felt that I needed to be there to represent football and all of you.鈥
Officials from the national federations have gathered in Paraguay all week for one of their last major meetings before the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Paraguay President Santiago Pe帽a was there to deliver his opening speech hours later than scheduled and praised Infantino as 鈥渁 personal friend and a friend of Paraguay.鈥
Infantino opted to join President Trump on the first legs of the tour instead of meeting with his voting members. Qatar hosted the men鈥檚 World Cup in 2022 and Saudi Arabia will host in 2034.
On Wednesday in Doha, Qatar鈥檚 ruling Emir 鈥 a fellow member of the International Olympic Committee with Infantino 鈥 hosted the visiting delegations at a state dinner at Lusail Palace.
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Infantino has built close ties to both Trump administrations. President Trump is set to present the trophy at the finals in New Jersey of both the Club World Cup in July and the World Cup next year.
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