FIFA to partially release World Cup sell-off documents to council

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 02:26 · Archive

FIFA will allow council members to view documents about its failed plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors.

FIFA has agreed to grant council members access to documents about president Gianni Infantino's abandoned plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors, known as the Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme. According to FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström's letter to council members, the documents will be available for viewing only in person at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich, and only under strict confidentiality protocols. Council members must register their interest to see the paperwork within two weeks, with a deadline of 16 November to apply for visits.

The move comes after UEFA issued FIFA an ultimatum on 19 October, giving the organisation a fortnight to answer more than 50 questions about the failed sell-off plan, governance issues, the Folarin Balogun affair, the FIFA peace prize, and relations with Donald Trump. That deadline expired on 2 November without a direct response from FIFA. The BBC understands FIFA viewed UEFA's two-week deadline as unfeasible, citing recent focus on organising a new youth World Cup in Azerbaijan and preparations for an extraordinary congress later this month.

UEFA had demanded access to all documents relating to the scheme and said FIFA's refusal to comply with any of its demands should be 'justified individually, with a clear explanation of the specific grounds relied upon'. The Guardian reports that FIFA has not responded directly to UEFA's questions, though council members are understood to have been told a response is being worked upon. The BBC also reports that FIFA's ability to answer some questions may be limited by legal action UEFA launched in October in the US, requesting disclosure of evidence and documents and warning it could lodge a criminal complaint in Switzerland.

How it is being reported

• Fifa to share documents on World Cup sell-off plans with council membersViewings to take place at Fifa’s headquarters in Zurich No direct response to Uefa’s questions on governance Fifa will grant its council members access to documents regarding the doomed Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme but has not responded directly to more than 50 questions from Uefa about its governance and recent scandals. In a letter sent to the Fifa Council by Mattias Grafström, the governing body’s secretary general, members were told material relating to FFE will be released for them to view in person at Fifa’s headquarters in Zurich. They will be allowed only to view the documents, of…Guardian Sport · 2 Nov, 22:23
• Fifa to share confidential World Cup sell-off plan documentsFifa has informed members of its Council that they will be granted access to view some documents related to president Gianni Infantino's failed plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors.BBC News · 2 Nov, 20:00
• FIFA to partially release documents relating to World Cup sell-off planFIFA will give members of its ruling council access to some documents for the first time related to the World Cup sell-off, Sky News understands.Sky News · 2 Nov, 15:11

In this story: FIFA · Gianni Infantino · UEFA · Mattias Grafström · Zurich

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