French football’s break with Gianni Infantino has become part of a wider storm around FIFA’s president, with England’s Debbie Hewitt demanding the release of documents on two controversial matters before the governing body’s next Council meeting.
Hewitt calls for documents before October meeting
Hewitt, FIFA vice-president and chair of England’s Football Association, has asked Infantino to make public files connected to his abandoned plan to privatise the World Cup.
She also wants disclosure of material relating to Folarin Balogun’s suspension being lifted during the World Cup after a telephone call from US President Donald Trump.
- Hewitt has set 15 October as the deadline for the documents to be released.
- The date precedes FIFA’s next Council meeting.
- Her request concerns both the shelved World Cup privatisation proposal and the decision involving Balogun.
Infantino faces growing resistance
Infantino has led FIFA for a decade, but opposition to his leadership has continued to grow among national associations.
The French Football Federation is among the federations that have withdrawn their support for the FIFA president, adding a French dimension to the pressure surrounding the game’s global leadership.
Rabat vote remains on the horizon
Despite the criticism, Infantino has said he will stand for re-election. The vote is scheduled for 18 March in Rabat, Morocco.
The coming Council meeting on 15 October will therefore arrive at a sensitive moment: with demands for transparency increasing, and FIFA’s president preparing to seek another mandate.
