FA chair demands Infantino release World Cup sell-off documents

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has been told to release all documents relating to his controversial plan to sell off a stake in the World Cup in a letter sent by Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt.

Hewitt, a Fifa vice-president, said that the Fifa Council should also receive a written explanation for the cancelled suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup.

Infantino should make all documents available before the next Fifa Council meeting, which is on 15 October.

The letter, also sent to Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, makes accusations of failures in governance and a breakdown in culture within the world football governing body.

Infantino has come under increasing pressure over his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.

FFE would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights of all competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to a private investment company.

The proposal was scrapped following widespread opposition from national associations.

Hewitt’s letter adds that there should be an independent review of how FFE was conceived, by whom, and how the private investment was put to tender.

Last month, Uefa began preparing criminal legal proceedings against Infantino at three US courts over the FFE plan, demanded the release of all documents.

Fifa hit back and accused Uefa of a “smear campaign against it and its leadership” in a challenge to the litigation.

Infantino, 56, will stand for election for a fourth time in March, with his opponents having until 18 November to find an alternative candidate.

Balogun incident placed doubts in FA’s mind

The Football Association was troubled by the Balogun situation from the outset, and had requested the release of the documents relating to his overturned ban during the World Cup.

Forward Balogun, 25, was allowed to play against Belgium in the last 16 when he would have expected to be serving a one-match suspension.

The striker had been shown a straight red card for a foul on defender Tarik Muharemovic in the 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the last 32.

Fifa then said the automatic one-match ban would be suspended for a year. No reasoning behind the move was provided, beyond citing a rule which allows punishments to be suspended.

The FA, which had sent a letter of support for Infantino’s re-election before the Balogun incident, had deep concerns about political intervention.

US President Donald Trump later confirmed he called Infantino asking for Balogun’s ban to be reviewed.

Then the FFE proposal, revealed through the media just days after the World Cup final, fractured the game.

Fifa and Infantino were accused of breaking trust “through deception” in an open letter issued by Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation last month.

Many national associations, including those of England, Wales and Scotland, have withdrawn letters of support for Infantino’s re-election.

But Infantino still holds a great deal of support around the globe, with the confederations of Africa, South America and Oceania reiterating their backing.

After FFE was cancelled, Infantino called a meeting of the Fifa management board in Rabat, Morocco.

But as yet there has been no contact with the Fifa Council to explain the controversial plan.

That is set to change next month when Infantino must face Hewitt and the other 35 Fifa Council members.