UEFA gives Fifa two-week deadline to answer questions on Gianni Infantino controversies

UEFA has imposed a two-week limit for Fifa to deliver explanations and documents covering a series of controversial episodes from Gianni Infantino's presidency. European governing body general secretary Theodore Theodoridis has written to his Fifa counterpart, Mattias Grafstrom, with a list of questions on behalf of European members of the Fifa Council.

• UEFA wants answers and documentation before 2 November.
• The FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, withdrawn in August, is at the heart of the questions.
• Clarity is sought on why exclusivity as lead investor was granted to Joshua Kushner.
• The Folarin Balogun case and a 2024 payment to Infantino also feature in the letter.
• The independence of the presidential election process is under scrutiny.

What UEFA demands from Fifa before 2 November

The letter requires all answers and relevant documents to be supplied by 2 November. The request follows a meeting in Zurich last week, during which European Council members questioned Infantino. After that session, Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt confirmed that Council members were asked to submit their questions in writing.

What Infantino faces in the March presidential election

Infantino heads into the build-up to the March presidential election under growing pressure. The deadline for candidates to be submitted is 18 November, and UEFA has said it will identify a credible alternative candidate to stand against the current president. The dispute escalated in August, when the European body announced it had lost confidence in Infantino over the FFE project.

The questions over the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan

A substantial part of the letter focuses on the process behind the FIFA Forward Enterprise project. The plan proposed selling a 20 per cent stake in a company set up to run the World Cup and other competitions to private investors. Infantino withdrew the proposal on 1 August after three continental confederations, including UEFA, rejected it.

Theodoridis' letter points out that the withdrawal, Infantino's acceptance of mistakes and pledges of governance reform do not explain how the relevant decisions were taken or why the Fifa Council was not involved at the appropriate stage. UEFA wants to know why exclusivity as lead investor was granted to Joshua Kushner, the brother of United States President Donald Trump's son-in-law, and how those family links and the potential conflict of interest were assessed and addressed.

The Folarin Balogun case and other outstanding issues

The letter also seeks further clarity on the Folarin Balogun case. It calls for all documents related to the matter to be supplied, including any correspondence between the Fifa disciplinary committee, which suspended his one-match ban, and the Fifa administration. The questions extend to a wide range of other topics, including the length of the World Cup final half-time show, the introduction of hydration breaks at the finals and the origins of the Fifa Peace Prize.

The 2024 payment and doubts over election independence

UEFA has requested information on a recent Times report concerning a payment made to Infantino by Fifa's 2026 World Cup organising company in 2024. The European body asks why the payment was not disclosed in Fifa's annual report. Concerns are also raised about the independence of the presidential election process.

The letter notes that electoral committee chair Bruno Chiomento has known Infantino for 20 years. It adds that he was at the World Cup for the full five weeks with all expenses covered by Fifa. UEFA directly asks whether Fifa would consider Chiomento's recusal and replacement by his deputy for the duration of the presidential election, given the importance of ensuring the independence and perceived impartiality of the process.

Frequently asked questions about the UEFA-Fifa standoff