Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt has demanded that FIFA president Gianni Infantino release all documents relating to his abandoned plan to sell a stake in the World Cup before the FIFA Council’s next meeting on October 15.
Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president and Council member, has written to Infantino and FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom seeking full disclosure over the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which envisaged transferring commercial rights linked to FIFA’s major competitions to a new company backed by private investment.
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She also called for a written explanation of the decision to suspend the one-match World Cup ban imposed on United States forward Folarin Balogun.
The requests come amid growing scrutiny of FIFA’s governance following the collapse of the FFE proposal, which faced strong opposition from football associations and confederations. UEFA had threatened to boycott FIFA competitions before the plan was withdrawn.
Hewitt calls for independent review
Hewitt’s letter calls for an independent review of how FFE was conceived, who was involved and how the proposed private investment was put to tender.
She also raised concerns about governance and communication within FIFA, arguing that the Council should receive the relevant documentation before its October meeting.
FIFA said on Wednesday that a review of the abandoned FFE proposal would be presented to the Council, following criticism over the lack of transparency surrounding the scheme.
The proposal was withdrawn after widespread opposition. It would have created a new company to manage commercial and ticketing rights associated with FIFA competitions, with a stake offered to private investors.
UEFA escalates pressure
UEFA has continued to challenge the FFE plan through legal channels after seeking documents and testimony from FIFA entities and other parties involved in the proposal.
The European governing body has said it is considering criminal proceedings in Switzerland over alleged criminal mismanagement linked to the scheme. FIFA has rejected the allegations and described UEFA’s legal action as a “smear campaign”.
UEFA’s US court applications seek information that it says could help establish how the FFE proposal was conceived, structured, valued and approved.
The dispute has also created uncertainty around Infantino’s position ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027. Infantino has confirmed his intention to seek a fourth term.
Balogun suspension adds to scrutiny
Hewitt’s request also covers the decision to suspend Balogun’s World Cup ban, which had threatened to rule the US forward out of a knockout-stage match after he received a red card.
The FA chair wants the FIFA Council to receive a written explanation of the decision and the process behind it. Reuters reported that the suspension was later postponed for a year after US President Donald Trump intervened.
The two issues, the abandoned investment proposal and the Balogun suspension, have added to wider questions over FIFA’s governance, transparency and decision-making under Infantino.
Hewitt’s intervention now puts the issues directly before the FIFA Council ahead of its October 15 meeting.
