The seven European members of the 37 members of the FIFA Council today sent a letter Gianni Infantino, president of the body, with 42 questions on which they expect an answer before 2 November.
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19/10/2026
by
Lusa
Oseven European members of the 37 members of the FIFA Council today sent a Gianni Infantino, president of the body, with 42 questions on which they expect an answer before 2 November.
In a letter addressed to FIFA's Secretary-General Mattias Grafström, European members require clarifications on issues such as substantial additional payments to the Italian-Switzerland which are not included in the body's economic report, information on large accommodation expenses in the 2022 worlds in Qatar and 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, or an office rental in the Trump Tower for four million euros.
UEFA President Alexander Ceferin, also FIFA Vice President, Hungarian Sandor Csányi, English Debbie Hewitt, Montenegrin Dejan Savicevic, Romanian Razvan Burleanu, German Bernd Neuendorf and Belgian Pascale Van Damme composes the group that questions Infantine, which will have a new Council meeting on 16 November in Doha.
Infantino's role in the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, which aimed to alienate a percentage of football worlds to private investment, through an element of Donald Trump's family, is another issue.
The strong revulsion of various international confederations and federations, with successive reactions of indignation to this idea, led the Swiss-Italian to withdraw the proposal.
The decision to allow American footballer Folarin Balogun to play in the World Cup before Belgium after being expelled, an unprecedented situation, after Donald Trump's call, also requires explanations, such as the extension to 27 minutes of the final interval, between Spain and Argentina, without prior request to the International Board (IFAB).
The letter calls for a written and detailed answer to each question, with justification, and states that any refusal to provide it must also be explained.
The group of European leaders believes that future governance reforms cannot replace the scrutiny of decisions already taken and accountability.
Also requested is a copy of the recording of the FIFA Council meeting held on 15 October and of all the materials presented in it, when Infantino refused to answer the questions of members and asked questions in writing, which now happens.
Questions are also raised about the independence and impartiality of the president of the FIFA Electoral Commission, the Swiss Bruno Chiomento, whom Infantino has known for 20 years and regularly invites to events: they ask if they consider replacing him for the elections of 18 March 2027.
The same concern about the neutrality of the FIFA administration in the face of the full support that Infantino expressed after a meeting in Rabat on August 5, when he was forced to withdraw the FFE project.
Infantino will still have to explain the unshared decision to create the FIFA Peace Prize and its award to Donald Trump a year ago, a reward that will now be evaluated by the Social Responsibility Commission of the body.
The letter is signed by UEFA Secretary-General Theodore Theodores on behalf of the seven European members of the Council.