Fifa has informed its council members that they will be able to view documents related to President Gianni Infantino's proposed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. This decision comes after UEFA had set a November 2 deadline for Fifa to release details about the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal and address governance questions.
According to a letter from Fifa Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, council members can view the documents in person at Fifa's headquarters in Zurich under specific conditions, citing the need to preserve confidentiality obligations. Members interested in reviewing the paperwork have been asked to register their interest within the next two weeks. It remains unclear which specific documents will be made available.
Fifa reportedly considered UEFA's deadline for responding to over 100 questions unfeasible due to recent organizational priorities, including the new youth World Cup in Azerbaijan and preparations for an extraordinary congress. The organization's ability to answer some questions may also be limited by legal action initiated by UEFA in October in the United States, which seeks disclosure of evidence and documents.
Previously, UEFA stated that Fifa had failed to answer "a number of fundamental questions" regarding the FFE proposal. These questions covered issues from funding and national associations to the awarding of a Fifa Peace Prize to Donald Trump and a suspended ban for US striker Folarin Balogun during the World Cup. UEFA emphasized that the withdrawal of FFE and acknowledgments of mistakes do not sufficiently explain how decisions were made or why the Fifa Council was not involved at the appropriate stage, demanding accountability for past decisions.
The developments add pressure on Infantino ahead of the November 18 deadline for candidates to declare their intention to run against him in the upcoming presidential election.