UEFA sets FIFA deadline over Infantino governance questions

UEFA has demanded that FIFA provide answers and documents concerning Gianni Infantino’s leadership by November 2, rejecting a proposed wait until December as questions over commercial transactions, potential conflicts of interest and presidential election oversight deepen the institutional dispute.UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis wrote to FIFA counterpart Mattias Grafström following a Council meeting at which Infantino invited members to submit written questions for consideration at the next meeting on December 16.Theodoridis wrote: “These explanations have not begun satisfactorily to address a number of fundamental questions raised by Council members.“Others remain unanswered, and the information and documentation requested have not been provided.”The intervention seeks detailed explanations of the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which envisaged placing FIFA competition commercial interests into a company and selling a 20% stake to private investors.UEFA is also seeking information about FIFA’s dealings involving US President Donald Trump and people associated with him, the FIFA Peace Prize, disciplinary decisions and arrangements for the March 2027 presidential election.Theodoridis continued: “We formally request a substantive written response to each question, together with all supporting documentation by Monday 2nd November. Any refusal to disclose information or documents should be justified individually, with a clear explanation of the specific grounds relied upon.“These questions require answers now. They cannot be deferred until the next meeting of the FIFA Council – nor can future governance reforms substitute for scrutiny of decisions already taken and accountability for them.”The deadline falls before November 18, when nominations close for candidates seeking to contest the presidency, making the requested disclosure relevant to the period in which a challenger could emerge.Infantino apologised to the Council over failures in communicating and consulting on the FFE proposal, which FIFA has permanently withdrawn, but European officials have continued to demand an account of how it was developed.UEFA is seeking a genuinely independent investigation rather than relying solely on prospective changes to governance procedures.Its document states: “The continued reluctance to undertake such an investigation risks further undermining confidence in FIFA’s transparency and governance, not only among its MAs but also among players, coaches and supporters worldwide.“These concerns inevitably undermine our trust placed in the FIFA President’s personal motivation and leadership and therefore his ability to unite our associations going forward.”The questions extend to discussions about a FIFA cryptocurrency, the involvement of Joshua Kushner in the proposed commercial rights transaction and the decision-making behind the Peace Prize awarded to Trump.UEFA also seeks explanations concerning FIFA’s Trump Tower office lease, a US$75m investment announcement concerning Palestine and a World Cup sponsorship involving a prediction company with reported connections to Donald Trump Jr.Those matters are presented as questions requiring disclosure and scrutiny, rather than established findings of misconduct.UEFA wrote: “These matters, taken together, raise questions that extend beyond the ordinary institutional relationship between FIFA and the government of a World Cup host country.“Could FIFA provide a detailed explanation of these arrangements and interventions, including the decision-making processes followed, the identification and management of any potential conflicts of interest, the financial implications for FIFA and the extent to which the competent FIFA bodies were informed or consulted?”The submission also questions the process behind suspending Folarin Balogun’s World Cup ban and seeks information about the independence of electoral committee chair Bruno Chiomento, citing his longstanding acquaintance with Infantino and FIFA-funded attendance at events.A separate question concerns reported additional presidential remuneration, which FIFA has previously disputed.FIFA said: “FIFA does not pay a second salary to the FIFA president and complies with all reporting requirements in relation to compensation.”FIFA had not immediately responded to the latest letter, with UEFA requesting substantive answers and supporting documentation before the presidential nomination window closes.