Uefa Gives Fifa Until 2 November to Hand Over World Cup Sell-Off Documents

Uefa has handed Fifa a hard deadline: release the documents underpinning its governance and decision-making by 2 November, or explain — one by one — why it will not.

In a letter seen by BBC Sport, Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis told world football's governing body that it had failed to address "a number of fundamental questions" arising from its recent decisions.

"Any refusal to disclose information or documents should be justified individually, with a clear explanation of the specific grounds relied upon," the letter states, setting out Uefa's expectation that Fifa cannot simply stonewall the request wholesale.

Tension spills over at Fifa Council

The demand follows a tense Fifa Council meeting on Thursday, at which president Gianni Infantino — who has led Fifa since 2016 and is standing for re-election for a third term — apologised for his World Cup sell-off plan.

But the apology came without the release of the documents relating to the proposal, a gap that has now prompted Uefa to formalise its demands in writing with a two-week window.

Alongside the letter, Uefa sent an eight-page document setting out a series of concerns, ranging from the Fifa Forward Enterprise private investment proposal to the Fifa Peace Prize and to Folarin Balogun's suspended ban.

What happens next

Fifa has been approached for comment. With the 2 November deadline now in play, the ball is firmly in the governing body's court to either produce the material or justify its refusal on a case-by-case basis.