Uefa still waiting on answers from Fifa over Gianni Infantino controversies as deadline looms

Uefa is still awaiting answers to a wide-ranging series of inquiries submitted to Fifa regarding Gianni Infantino’s presidency, with the deadline for a reply fast approaching.

On 19 October, Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis formally wrote to his Fifa counterpart Mattias Grafstrom, outlining 42 specific topics requiring clarification on behalf of European members serving on the Fifa Council.

The request sought transparency over Infantino’s now-shelved proposal to secure private investment for a company to handle the World Cup’s commercial operations. It also asked for the disclosure of documentation concerning the Folarin Balogun disciplinary case, alongside guarantees and explanations regarding potential conflicts of interest. The letter requested substantive responses by 2 November.

It is understood that as of midday Central European Time on Monday, no such response had been received.

The communication followed a Fifa Council session on 15 October, during which Infantino was directly questioned by members. Football Association chair and Fifa vice-president Debbie Hewitt subsequently noted that representatives had been instructed to submit their remaining queries in writing.

UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis formally wrote to Fifa last month (Reuters)

The letter from Theodoridis brought together the collective concerns of the European Council members into a single document.

"These questions require answers now," he 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."

In response to an initial query regarding the correspondence on 20 October, a Fifa spokesperson said: "The Fifa governance regulations state that Council meetings and their associated documentation are confidential.

"While Fifa intends to reply to questions submitted by its Council members it has no intention of breaching confidentiality by commenting on internal communication and/or documentation to media.

"Fifa considers respect for these regulations to be a function of respect for the Council itself and for its individual members. Fifa will always maintain this respect and will not be drawn into any exchange with any third parties that undermines this."

Fifa was approached for fresh comment on Monday.

The Fifa Council is not scheduled to gather again until 16 December. Uefa has committed to identifying a credible alternative candidate to challenge Infantino in the Fifa presidential election next March.