Fifa has announced that it will make key documents relating to its failed plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors available to members of its council. The move comes after Uefa gave Fifa until November 2 to release details about the hugely controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal. Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom wrote to council members saying they will be able to view the documents, but only in person at Fifa's headquarters in Zurich.
The documents will be available under strict review protocols to preserve confidentiality, with council members asked to register to see them within the next two weeks. It is unclear which documents will be made available. Fifa viewed Uefa's two-week deadline to respond to over 100 questions as unfeasible, given their recent focus on organising a new youth World Cup in Azerbaijan and preparations for an extraordinary congress later this month.
Sources indicate that Fifa's ability to answer some questions is limited by legal action launched by Uefa in October in the US, requesting disclosure of evidence and documents. Uefa warned it could lodge a criminal complaint in Switzerland. Last month, Uefa told Fifa that it had failed to address fundamental questions, including those related to the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal and funding.
The letter from Uefa included eight pages of questions covering various issues, including the awarding of an inaugural Fifa Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump and the suspended ban given to USA striker Folarin Balogun at the World Cup. Uefa stated that the withdrawal of the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal and the acknowledgement of mistakes do not answer how the relevant decisions were taken or why the Fifa Council was not involved.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino apologised for the abandoned sell-off plot but failed to offer a full explanation for how the proposal was devised, asking that questions be submitted in writing. In his letter, Grafstrom says Uefa's demand contains significantly more questions than the Fifa administration could reasonably have anticipated. He adds that the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal could not have proceeded without the cumulative and mandatory approval of the council and a majority of member associations.
Uefa did not outline what steps it intended to take should Fifa not meet the deadline, but hoped it added to the pressure on Infantino before November 18, the cut-off date for any candidates to confirm they are standing against him in next year's presidential election. Grafstrom says Fifa is currently working on a response which will be shared with all council members in due course.
The development highlights the ongoing scrutiny of Fifa's governance and decision-making processes. The organisation faces pressure to provide transparency and accountability for its actions, particularly in light of the failed World Cup sell-off plan. Fifa's decision to make key documents available to council members is seen as a step towards addressing these concerns.
Key points
- Fifa to make key documents available to council members over World Cup sell-off plan
- Uefa had given Fifa until November 2 to release details about the proposal
- Fifa's decision-making processes face ongoing scrutiny over governance and transparency
