European football's governing body, Uefa, has issued a two-week deadline for Fifa to release key documents and answer questions about its decision-making processes. According to BBC Sport, the deadline is set for November 2, following a letter from Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis to Fifa's counterpart, Mattias Grafstrom. The correspondence highlights a growing tension between the two bodies over transparency in world football's administration.
The dispute centers on the Fifa Forward Enterprise, a project proposed by President Gianni Infantino to create a company managing the commercial interests of Fifa competitions, including the World Cup. Khaleej Times reported that the plan involved selling a minority stake to private investors, a move that led Uefa to call for Infantino's resignation before it was abandoned. Sportstar noted that Infantino provided no initial documents about the $4.2 billion plan, which was launched and quickly dropped in July amid fierce European backlash.
At the Fifa Council last week, Infantino apologized for the sell-off plan but did not fully explain how it was devised. He invited attendees to submit written questions for the next council meeting on December 16. However, Uefa argued that waiting for that meeting was insufficient. Theodoridis stated that the withdrawal of the FFE project and announcements of potential governance reforms did not explain how decisions were taken or why the Fifa Council was not involved earlier.
The letter included eight pages of questions covering various issues, including the FFE private investment, the Fifa Peace Prize, and the suspended ban on USA striker Folarin Balogun. Khaleej Times reported that the letter contained 42 questions across 12 topics. Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, a Fifa vice-president, commented that if Infantino does not answer these questions, he may not be fit to be president. Uefa has not yet outlined specific consequences if the deadline is missed, and Fifa has been approached for comment.