Infantino's late arrival from Trump tour in Middle East delays start of FIFA annual meeting

FIFA President Gianni Infantino chose to start his week in the Middle East joining U.S President Donald Trump's state visits with their close ally the Saudi Arabian crown prince, then the Emir of Qatar.

The knock-on effect was felt Thursday when Infantino's late arrival on private jet flights from Qatar forced FIFA's annual meeting in Paraguay to start more than three hours late.

It led to a mid-meeting walkout in protest by senior officials from European soccer body UEFA at the “deeply regrettable” delay.

UEFA said in a statement "what appears to be simply to accommodate private political interests, does the game no service and appears to put its interests second.”

Infantino had picked real-world politics with past and future World Cup host nations over being on the other side of the globe with his 211 national federation members and voters. They had started arriving in Paraguay three days earlier.

The Qatar state-provided jet flying the FIFA boss from Doha, via Nigeria, meant he was still at high altitude over the Atlantic Ocean when his meeting had been due to start.

It also pushed some senior European officials on FIFA's ruling council, including UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, to leave their main stage seats early.

“We are uniting the world today in Asunción,” Infantino said in closing remarks on the stage where about one-quarter of the seats had been empty for the previous 90 minutes.

For the second straight year, there was no post-Congress news conference to question Infantino.

Infantino had apologized to his audience several times when the meeting finally opened close to 1 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) instead of the originally scheduled 9:30 a.m.

He cited issues with his flight and insisted it was important he had been in the Middle East at “important discussions ... with some world leaders in politics and economy.”

“I felt like I had to be there to represent all of you, to represent football,” Infantino said. “As president of FIFA my responsibility is to make decisions in the interests of the organization."

Paraguay President Santiago Peña also was affected. He delivered an opening speech that FIFA typically invites the host head of state to make hours later than scheduled, though he still praised Infantino as “a personal friend and a friend of Paraguay.”

Peña previously said in January he took credit for suggesting to Infantino that FIFA bring a major event to Paraguay, which is set to host one of the 104 games at the men's World Cup in 2030 being mostly co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Infantino opted to join President Trump on the first legs of the tour instead of meeting with his voting members. Qatar hosted the men’s World Cup in 2022, the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico next year and Saudi Arabia will host in 2034.

On Wednesday in Doha, Qatar’s ruling emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani — a fellow member of the International Olympic Committee with Infantino — hosted the visiting delegations at a state dinner at Lusail Palace.

Infantino has built close ties to both Trump administrations, and was inside the Capitol rotunda in January for the formal presidential inauguration ceremony.

Trump is set to present the trophy at the finals in MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey of both the Club World Cup in July and the World Cup next year. The Club World Cup trophy was in the Congress room Thursday. The gold trophy has spent much of the past weeks in the Oval Office at the White House.

With the meeting running so far late, some European delegates did not return to the hall after a mid-meeting coffee break.

Empty seats reserved for the 37-member FIFA Council chaired by Infantino included those of Ceferin and the other two FIFA vice presidents from Europe: Hungarian banker Sándor Csányi and Debbie Hewitt, the head of England's soccer federation. Officials from Germany, Norway and Romania also left.

Still on stage with Infantino was the most senior Paraguayan official in world soccer, Alejandro Dominguez, the FIFA vice president and head of South American soccer body CONMEBOL.

Paraguay being included in the 2030 World Cup project has been seen as a win in FIFA politics for Dominguez. The 100th birthday World Cup will see single games in the opening week in June 2030 also played in Argentina, the 2022 champion, and Uruguay, the inaugural 1930 host.

A recent CONMEBOL proposal to expand the 2030 tournament to 64 teams — double the size of the 2022 edition in Qatar, with more games in South America — has been opposed by leaders of other soccer regions, include Ceferin in Europe, Asia and North America.

Dominguez made a speech to the Congress that hinted at thinking bigger for 2030, without directly promoting the 64-team plan.

FIFA's congress in 2026 will be in Vancouver on April 30, six weeks before the city hosts its first game at the World Cup.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, right, talks to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin during the FIFA 75th Congress at the Conmebol Convention Center in Luque, Paraguay, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Calistro)

Conmebol President Alejandro Dominguez, left, talks to FIFA President Gianni Infantino during FIFA's 75th Congress at the Conmebol Convention Center in Luque, Paraguay, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Calistro)

From left, Conmebol's President Alejandro Dominguez, Paraguay's President Santiago Pena, FIFA's President Gianni Infantino, and Paraguay's Soccer Association's President Robert Harrison stand before attendees of the FIFA 75th Congress at the Conmebol Convention Center in Luque, Paraguay, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Calistro)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino addresse the FIFA 75th Congress at the Conmebol Convention Center in Luque, Paraguay, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Calistro)

Guards stand at the entrance to the Conmebol Convention Center which is hosting the FIFA Congress in Luque, Paraguay, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Calistro)

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)

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)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Snoop Dogg arrived at Intuit Dome hours before tipoff, long before most fans filled the arena and even before some players.

Dressed in a gray suit and black turtleneck, a diamond-encrusted Peacock pendant resting on his chest and purple Chuck Taylor sneakers with gold laces nodding to his lifelong Los Angeles Lakers allegiance, Snoop didn’t rush. He didn’t posture. He waited for his moment to shine as an NBA analyst alongside Reggie Miller and Terry Gannon for Peacock’s recent Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers broadcast during the second half.

With an AP reporter trailing him through the arena for an all-access, behind-the-scenes look at his preparation — including time in the green room ahead of the broadcast — Snoop made it clear that this wasn't a cameo.

“I don’t believe NBC would have gave me this opportunity if they thought I was coming in there playing games,” said Snoop, who won over global audiences during the Paris Olympics in 2024. “It's not so much about me. It's so much about what the game is needing right now.”

In recent months, Snoop underscored his ease in live, unscripted settings across major TV stages. He continued his work on NBC’s “The Voice,” performed during Netflix's Christmas Day NFL broadcast, went viral at the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl and presented and did interviews at Sunday's Golden Globes — where Amy Poehler and Stephen Graham praised his presence. That visibility has coincided with a deepening relationship with NBCUniversal, which continues to expand his role across sports and entertainment with next month's Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, including NBA coverage.

Before opening tip of the Jan. 5 game, Snoop sat in production meetings and joined the coaches' meetings with Steve Kerr and Tyronn Lue. He lingered near the Golden State Warriors’ locker room, occasionally dancing as his own music blared from inside, patiently waiting to interview Warriors star guard Stephen Curry a couple hours before the game.

Snoop’s approach resonated with the players he covered.

“He can find his way anywhere in any environment,” Curry said. “It was cool to see all the different versions of Snoop.”

Curry has seen Snoop's ability to move comfortably between worlds long before this night. The sharpshooting guard recalled seeing Snoop around Team USA during the Paris Olympics, where he blended seamlessly into the basketball environment while connecting easily with players away from the court.

“He caught me off guard at the beginning because he gave me three really straightforward basketball questions,” Curry said of Snoop’s Warriors-Clippers pregame interview. “Then I heard he got to it on the broadcast. … He was a great addition.”

Whether Snoop is on a global broadcast, major streamer or a sideline, he reads the room in real time. That feel showed up again at the Arizona Bowl, when he snagged a deep kickoff mid-interview, losing a shoe but securing the ball. It was a spontaneous moment that quickly went viral and showed why he continues to resonate in live settings.

Moments like that help explain why Snoop's presence keeps widening. He's set to be part of NBC’s coverage of the upcoming Winter Olympics, further extending a presence that now spans sports, entertainment and generations of viewers.

Miller, who played 18 years with the NBA's Indiana Pacers, said Snoop's versatility and seriousness stood out even behind the camera.

“He’s authentic,” Miller said. “Questions that he asked in the coaches meetings, stepping up and asking informed questions of Steve Kerr and Ty Lue. He could have just sat back and listened. No, he's getting his hands dirty.”

Gannon echoed those sentiments.

“It's not like he's just showing up and saying ‘I’m here,'” he said. “He put in the work and effort. The broadcast was seamless because of that.”

Snoop said he studied legendary broadcasters, particularly the late Chick Hearn, who was the play-by-play announcer for more than 40 years with the Lakers. The rapper viewed his role as someone who understands basketball deeply but speaks from outside the traditional broadcast lineage.

“I represent the average Joe, despite being me being a well-known celebrity,” he said. “The NBA has moved forward to where it deserves to have people like me who understands the game, know the game and can speak to the game and also bring new viewers.”

Snoop's perspective showed up immediately once he went on air.

He called out the Warriors' Draymond Green for taking — and missing — too many 3-pointers, while praising his ability to function as a point-forward. He noted Curry’s ability to play through an ankle injury in the third quarter. He labeled on-court chemistry “cookies and cream like they about to open up a cookie shop,” dubbed Curry “Stephisticated” and punctuated a scoring burst with “two-piece chicken nuggets.”

When Warriors coach Steve Kerr was ejected after disagreeing with referees on a goaltending call, Snoop’s bold personality cut through the moment, shouting “Inglewood” as the crowd roared inside the Intuit Dome, which is located in Inglewood, California.

“When the lights are on, that's when I shine the brightest,” Snoop said.

Snoop said he'd welcome more opportunities to call NBA games, viewing the analyst role as a natural extension of a career built on curiosity and evolution. He's eager to immerse himself in the Winter Olympics, where he'll once again be an NBC correspondent and join Team USA as an honorary coach.

He'll serve as an ambassador and supporter for American athletes in the lead-up and throughout the Games. He's also hosting an event with Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard during NBA All-Star week next month.

“I feel like I'm progressing myself as a full-on entertainer,” Snoop said. “This is a part of entertainment, being able to pull people into things they may or may not be interested in. I would love to do more of this.”

Snoop is certainly living a dream with a simple through line: Show up, do the work and stay open to what comes next.

“When you master who you are,” he said. “you understand that you're not one dimensional. You evolve.”

Snoop Dogg, records a segment on the court before an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

NBA analyst Snoop Dogg stands on the court before an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Debuting as an NBA analyst, Snoop Dogg, right, records a segment with Terry Gannon before an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Debuting as an NBA analyst, Snoop Dogg, records video on the court before an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Debuting as an NBA analyst, Snoop Dogg, right, records a segment with Terry Gannon before an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

NBA analyst, Snoop Dogg, right, appears with Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, center, and former NBA player and lead game analyst for NBC Sports, Reggie Miller, following the team's NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)