UEFA awaits Fifa response to 42 governance questions as November deadline passes

UEFA had still not received a response from Fifa to a sweeping 42-point governance inquiry as of Monday midday CET, with the organisation’s self-imposed 2 November deadline for answers now passed.

On 19 October, UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis formally wrote to his Fifa counterpart Mattias Grafstrom on behalf of European members of the Fifa Council. The letter covered 42 distinct topics, including Infantino’s now-shelved proposal to bring in private investment to manage the World Cup’s commercial operations, the disclosure of documentation related to the Folarin Balogun disciplinary case, and concerns over potential conflicts of interest.

“These questions require answers now,” Theodoridis wrote. “They cannot be deferred until the next meeting of the Fifa Council — nor can future governance reforms substitute for scrutiny of decisions already taken and accountability for them.”

The letter followed a Fifa Council session on 15 October at which Infantino was directly questioned by members. Football Association chair and Fifa vice-president Debbie Hewitt subsequently indicated that representatives had been asked to submit outstanding queries in writing, leading Theodoridis to consolidate European members’ concerns into a single document.

Fifa, responding to an initial query on 20 October, declined to engage with the substance of the correspondence, citing confidentiality rules governing Council meetings and their documentation. “Fifa considers respect for these regulations to be a function of respect for the Council itself and for its individual members,” a spokesperson said, adding that the organisation had “no intention of breaching confidentiality by commenting on internal communication and/or documentation to media.”

Fifa was approached for further comment on Monday.

The next scheduled Fifa Council meeting is not until 16 December, a timetable that UEFA has already flagged as insufficient given the urgency of the questions raised. The organisation has separately committed to identifying a credible challenger to Infantino ahead of the Fifa presidential election in March, with the candidacy submission deadline set for 18 November.