European football's governing body has issued Fifa a two-week deadline to release key documents and provide comprehensive answers on governance and decision-making processes. The ultimatum comes after Gianni Infantino, who has served as Fifa president since 2016 and is seeking a third term, offered only a partial apology at Thursday's Fifa Council meeting regarding his controversial World Cup privatisation scheme.
In a letter reviewed by BBC Sport, Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis stated that Fifa had neglected to address "a number of fundamental questions" and that "the information and documentation requested have not been provided."
The eight-page letter raises concerns spanning multiple areas of Fifa operations. These include the abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) private investment scheme, the Fifa Peace Prize, and the contentious suspended ban imposed on USA striker Folarin Balogun during the World Cup.
What was the FFE proposal?
The scrapped investment plan represented a $4.2 billion investment for a 20% permanent stake in a subsidiary managing commercial rights to World Cups and Club World Cups. The proposal emerged after months of confidential negotiations and was withdrawn following widespread opposition from football confederations including Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation, and Concacaf.
Uefa's letter specifically criticised how the decision-making process unfolded. "The withdrawal of FFE, the acknowledgement of mistakes and the announcement of 'potential governance reforms' do not answer how the relevant decisions were taken or why the Fifa Council was not involved at the appropriate stage," the letter stated.
What answers is Uefa demanding?
Uefa has insisted that Fifa must provide immediate responses rather than deferring accountability to future meetings. "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 letter read.
The correspondence also specified that any refusal to disclose information must be individually justified with clear explanations of the legal or procedural grounds involved.
How has Infantino responded?
At Thursday's Council meeting, Infantino apologised for the World Cup sell-off plan but did not provide a full explanation of how the proposal was developed or approved. Fifa's Council agreed to create a cross-confederation working group to examine its governance framework, and the organisation stated that details of the FFE project remain confidential due to ongoing US legal proceedings.
Fifa has also tasked its Football Social Responsibility Committee with assessing the Peace Prize and its Legal Committee with reviewing disciplinary procedures following the Balogun case.
What are the political implications?
Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who serves as a Fifa vice-president, delivered a stark warning following the Council meeting. "If he doesn't answer those questions, he's not fit to be Fifa president," she said.
The pressure on Infantino intensifies as Uefa has sought US court authorisation to obtain evidence from Fifa and investor Joshua Kushner's firm for a possible criminal complaint in Switzerland over the FFE proposal. This legal manoeuvre underscores the severity of the governance crisis within world football's governing body.
Uefa did not specify what enforcement measures it would pursue should Fifa fail to meet the 2 November deadline.
What happens next?
The deadline arrives just 16 days before the closing date for presidential candidates on 18 November. Infantino's re-election bid will be decided at the presidential election scheduled for March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco.
Fifa's next Council meeting is set for December 2026, when it is expected to present the Peace Prize assessment and provide a presentation on revised disciplinary procedures. The governance crisis and unanswered questions will likely dominate discussions as the organisation moves toward its leadership election.
