UEFA Demands FIFA Disclose Governance Documents by November 2 Deadline

OPA WIRE, Oct 19 (OPA) — UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis issued the directive in a letter to FIFA, citing a lack of transparency regarding the organization’s decision-making processes. The correspondence includes an eight-page list of inquiries concerning the abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) private investment scheme, the establishment of the Fifa Peace Prize, and the handling of a disciplinary case involving USA striker Folarin Balogun.

The letter specifically challenges the circumstances surrounding Balogun’s suspended ban during the World Cup, which was reviewed following a request from U.S. President Donald Trump. UEFA is seeking documentation on whether the FIFA president or secretary general communicated with disciplinary committee members regarding the case, and whether the review would have occurred without external intervention. Theodoridis emphasized that FIFA’s refusal to provide information must be justified individually with clear, specific grounds.

Questions regarding the FFE project remain a primary point of contention. UEFA has requested details on the project’s authorization, the selection of Thrive Capital as lead investor without a competitive tender, and the nature of the relationship between the investment firm and the family of the Fifa Peace Prize recipient. The governing body also questioned why FIFA sought private investment for the FFE when the organization maintains a strong financial position, noting that increased funding for member associations was initially tied to the now-defunct scheme.

While FIFA has yet to issue a formal response, the pressure on Infantino is mounting. Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, a FIFA vice-president, previously stated that the president’s failure to answer these inquiries calls his fitness for office into question. UEFA has not specified what actions it will pursue should FIFA fail to meet the November 2 deadline, though the letter maintains that governance reforms cannot substitute for accountability regarding past decisions.