The FIFA Congress in Paraguay was overshadowed by a public show of frustration from UEFA after FIFA president Gianni Infantino arrived more than two hours late to the gathering, sparking a walk-out by European delegates.
The congress, scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. local time in Luque, near Asuncion, resumed with noticeable empty seats after UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin led the European delegation in exiting during a scheduled break. Among those who joined the protest was Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt. Their departure followed Infantino’s late arrival, which UEFA linked to his diplomatic travel in the Middle East with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Infantino defended his delay, stating that the meetings he attended before the congress were vital for football’s role in global political and economic discussions. But his explanation did little to calm tensions with UEFA, which issued a strongly worded statement criticizing the change in congress timing as inappropriate and self-serving.
UEFA expressed disappointment over what it called last-minute schedule changes made to accommodate non-football-related interests. The organization emphasized that the annual congress is a key event where 211 football nations discuss matters shaping the global game. According to UEFA, Infantino’s actions undermined the seriousness of the occasion.
The protest was meant to signal that football’s best interests must always come first. UEFA officials insisted their decision to leave at the originally scheduled time was not impulsive but a reflection of their concern for governance standards and the integrity of the event.
Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Association, echoed the concerns. She stressed the congress’s role in upholding good governance and expressed frustration on behalf of member nations who had traveled long distances expecting a professional and inclusive gathering.
The walk-out was not limited to UEFA. Some representatives from Concacaf, the football confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean, also left the venue early, showing that discontent was not confined to Europe.
Attempting to ease the situation, Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom stated that the organization maintains strong ties with UEFA and its members. He reiterated Infantino’s reasoning for the delay and praised the overall quality of the congress despite the controversy.
Still, the incident has highlighted deeper tensions within the football world’s leadership, especially around questions of transparency, governance, and the balance between football matters and political appearances.