PARIS: European football’s governing body UEFA has demanded urgent answers from FIFA over President Gianni Infantino’s leadership, setting a November 2 deadline for a response ahead of the world governing body’s December council meeting.
The letter, written by UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis to his FIFA counterpart Mattias Grafstrom on Monday, raises 42 questions across 12 topics. It calls on FIFA to address concerns about decisions taken under Infantino’s presidency rather than postponing the matter until the next FIFA Council meeting on December 16.
“These questions require answers now,” Theodoridis wrote, according to a copy of the letter seen by Reuters.
He argued that future governance reforms could not replace scrutiny of decisions already made or accountability for those responsible.
“We expect FIFA to provide the transparency required by its own governing body and to respond fully within the above deadline,” the letter stated.
Dispute Over FIFA Forward Enterprise Project
UEFA has been among the leading critics of Infantino following his proposal for the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a project that has since been abandoned.
The proposal involved establishing a company to manage the commercial interests of FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, and selling a minority stake to private investors.
The initiative raised questions about FIFA’s governance and the management of its commercial operations, contributing to tensions between UEFA and Infantino.
Infantino, 56, apologised to the FIFA Council last week and invited members to submit written questions about his leadership. He said he would address their concerns at the council’s next meeting on December 16.
However, UEFA has insisted that the questions should be answered before that meeting.
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FIFA Cites Confidentiality Rules
FIFA declined to comment publicly on the substance of the correspondence, citing the confidentiality of its internal governance procedures.
“The FIFA Governance Regulations state that Council meetings and their associated documentation are confidential,” a FIFA spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The spokesperson added that FIFA intended to respond to questions submitted by council members but would not breach confidentiality by commenting on internal communications or documents in the media.
FIFA also said it viewed respect for the regulations as part of its responsibility to the council and its individual members.
UEFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Infantino Faces Re-Election in 2027
The dispute comes as Infantino prepares to seek another term as FIFA president in March 2027.
Potential candidates face a November 18 deadline to submit their nominations, adding a political dimension to the growing scrutiny of his leadership.
The questions raised by UEFA could intensify pressure on FIFA to explain its decision-making processes and demonstrate transparency as the organisation approaches its next presidential election.
