UEFA Walks Out of FIFA Congress Over Infantino’s Trump Tour – A Deepening Rift in Football’s Power Structure
In a dramatic turn of events at the 2025 FIFA Congress in Asunción, Paraguay, UEFA officials staged a bold walkout in protest against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The tension erupted after Infantino arrived over three hours late to the event—delayed due to his controversial participation in a Gulf states tour alongside former U.S. President Donald Trump.
UEFA, led by President Aleksander Čeferin and supported by several European delegates including FA Chair Debbie Hewitt and Norwegian FA President Lise Klaveness, accused Infantino of putting “private political interests” above his duties to global football governance. Their protest sent a strong message to FIFA leadership: the integrity and transparency of the sport must come first.
The last-minute disruption of the congress agenda not only embarrassed the host country Paraguay but also offended South America’s football governing body, CONMEBOL. UEFA argued that Infantino’s actions undermined the significance of the congress and reflected a worrying trend of personal political involvement clouding professional responsibility.
While Infantino later apologized, claiming his presence on the tour was in line with promoting football on a global scale, the walkout has intensified the growing rift between FIFA and UEFA. The incident has reignited debates around transparency, leadership ethics, and the political direction of football’s global institutions.
With major tournaments ahead and reforms still on the agenda, this latest fallout raises crucial questions: Who truly governs the game? And at what cost does global football maintain its unity?
