FIFA has announced that members of its ruling Council will be granted access to critical documents concerning the now-abandoned plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, according to a source close to the governing body who spoke to AFP on Tuesday.
The source revealed that FIFA has notified all 37 Council members, including President Gianni Infantino and the eight vice-presidents, that they can review the documents related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative. The FFE was a proposal by Infantino to open up FIFA's premium competitions, such as the World Cup, to private investment.
In a letter sent on Monday by FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, Council members were instructed to come forward within the next two weeks if they wish to examine the documents in person and under specific conditions. The documents will be available for consultation at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
This development comes as a deadline set by UEFA, European football's governing body, for FIFA to answer a series of questions about the FFE proposal expired on Monday. UEFA has been at the forefront of opposition to the project, which was unveiled in late July and sparked widespread criticism.
Infantino swiftly shelved the proposal following the backlash, but UEFA has persisted in its efforts, turning to a court in Florida to gather evidence for a potential complaint of criminal mismanagement against the FIFA president in Switzerland.
After a FIFA Council meeting on October 15, UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis sent a letter to Grafstrom with over 40 questions and requests for information related to FFE. The letter also raised other contentious issues, including the decision to award a FIFA Peace Prize to former US President Donald Trump and the suspension of a red card shown to US player Folarin Balogun at the World Cup following an intervention by the US President.
FIFA did not respond to UEFA before the deadline, citing impracticality. The governing body has yet to comment publicly on the matter.
Meanwhile, Infantino is seeking re-election as FIFA president next March. The deadline for rival candidates to declare their intentions is November 18, but UEFA has so far struggled to find a credible challenger. Infantino received a significant boost when the Asian Football Confederation announced on October 23 that it would support his re-election.
CONCACAF chief Victor Montagliani was considered a potential candidate, but the Canadian has expressed his desire to stand for a new term as head of the North American confederation, making it unlikely that he will challenge Infantino. Former Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic, and Switzerland defender Ramon Vega has stated his willingness to run, but it remains uncertain whether he can garner the necessary support.
The controversy surrounding the FFE proposal and the upcoming election has cast a shadow over FIFA's governance, with critics calling for greater transparency and accountability. As the deadline for candidates approaches, all eyes will be on whether a credible challenger emerges to contest Infantino's leadership.
