Top FIFA Official Infantino Ditches Women's World Cup for Tropical Escape in Tahiti - Shocking Move!

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has abruptly departed from the Women's World Cup, only a week into the tournament, as revealed by Sky News. This starkly contrasts with his attendance at every single match during the men's World Cup in Qatar.

Infantino had previously demanded equal treatment for the Women's World Cup compared to the men's tournament as he criticized broadcasters for not providing adequate television rights coverage. Sky News has monitored the journey of a private jet frequently utilized by Infantino, noting its departure from Tahiti on July 17. The jet spent approximately eight days in New Zealand before recently returning to Tahiti on July 25.

FIFA did not disclose when Infantino is scheduled to return to the tournament, which concludes on August 20th. The extensive distances in Australia and New Zealand made it impractical for him to be present at every match of FIFA's largest-ever women's event.

Infantino has not visited Australia or attended any matches there since it was awarded the hosting rights with New Zealand in 2020. For over a year leading up to the men's World Cup, he primarily resided in Qatar, allowing him to fulfill his presidential responsibilities and be in closer proximity to the tournament, as stated by FIFA.

He has maintained a greater distance from the preparation and proceedings of the Women's World Cup.

He solely participated in matches during the initial five days of the tournament in New Zealand. This included being present at the inaugural match on July 20th and his most recent appearance at Eden Park in Auckland on Monday. During this time, he witnessed Italy's victory over Argentina and had the opportunity to meet the family that purchased the milestone 1.5 millionth ticket.

Infantino described attending all 32 matches played so far during the 2022 men's World Cup as a "privilege and pleasure". Despite proclaiming the 2023 Women's World Cup as the "best-attended", his own attendance record fell short, contradicting his emphasis on treating both the men's and women's events equally and referring to the upcoming tournament as a "celebration of equality".

In recent months, he has been posting on Instagram, advocating for the respect of women and expressing his frustration over broadcasters not adequately compensating for the women's World Cups. He emphasized the need for the game to be respected and for fair remuneration in May.

Infantino's departure from New Zealand on Tuesday was concealed by the continued posting of official match images on his Instagram account. It was only after Sky News inquired about his absence at the Women's World Cup that a video was shared, revealing him playing football in Tahiti with predominantly male players. This suggested that he was on a visit to a member association while the prominent women's football event carried on without his attendance.

On Instagram, he expressed that this year is dedicated to women and that the future holds great prospects for them. So far, he has witnessed the live matches of only 12 out of the 32 teams participating in the Women's World Cup, which is the first edition since the expansion from 24 finalists.

Infantino has increased the prize money and participation fund for the Women's World Cup, resulting in significant changes.

Now, players are guaranteed squad pay, starting from $30,000 (£23,200) for those who exit in the group stage and increasing to $270,000 (£208,800) for each member of the championship-winning team.

This is a major advantage for players. According to FIFA's most recent research, the average salary for female professional players worldwide is a mere $14,000 (£10,800), and numerous countries still do not have professional women's leagues. Sky News reached out to FIFA for comment, but no response was received. We News has also contacted FIFA to inquire about Infantino's differing dedication to men's and women's football.