By Julien Pretot
PARIS, Nov 2 (Reuters) – Soccer’s world governing body will grant its council members access to key documents concerning the defunct FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday.
FIFA scrapped the $20 billion World Cup sell-off plan earlier this summer only days after making it public, amid a backlash that imperiled President Gianni Infantino’s leadership.
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom sent a letter to FIFA council members on Monday inviting them to register their interest in reviewing the documents under specific conditions at the group’s Zurich headquarters, the person said.
The move came on the day of a deadline European soccer’s governing body UEFA had set for FIFA to answer questions about Infantino’s presidency, as European federations press for reforms and oppose his reelection.
Multiple federations demanded sweeping reforms of FIFA in the aftermath of the failed proposal, with Swiss-Italian Infantino having previously proposed an independent review of the organisation’s decision-making processes.
Last month, UEFA sent a letter to FIFA seeking answers about Infantino’s presidency, including questions over FFE and the FIFA Peace Prize, setting a November 2 deadline for a response.
“FIFA viewed UEFA’s two-week deadline to respond to more than 100 questions as unfeasible, given their recent focus on organising a new youth World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan,” the person said.
“The organisation is also preparing for an extraordinary congress on 23 November to determine the hosts for the 2031 and 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cups. The ongoing legal action in the United States has also created legal boundaries.
“FIFA has maintained it would respond to Council members in due course, and the invitation to view key documents is only to Council members.”
Infantino’s reelection prospects strengthened significantly a little over a week ago when the head of Asian football endorsed him for a fourth term. The move left Europe increasingly isolated in its opposition to the FIFA chief.
Infantino will stand for reelection in March 2027, with a November 18 deadline looming for potential candidates to submit their nominations.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot in Paris, writing by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Ken Ferris)
