FA chair Debbie Hewitt demands Infantino hand over documents on World Cup sell-off in letter dated 17 September 2026
Debbie Hewitt, chair of the Football Association, wrote on 17 September 2026 to Fifa president Gianni Infantino demanding he release all documents connected to his proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup, a letter that was also sent to Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom. Hewitt, who is a Fifa vice-president, additionally asked for a written explanation to the Fifa Council for the cancelled suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun.
Hewitt’s correspondence targets the aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which would have created a new company to manage commercial and ticketing rights for all competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold to a private investment company. The proposal was withdrawn after widespread opposition from national associations, and the letter calls for an independent review into how FFE was conceived, who was involved and how any private investment was put out to tender.
Last month Uefa began preparing criminal legal proceedings against Infantino at three US courts and demanded the release of all related documents; Fifa responded by accusing Uefa of a "smear campaign against it and its leadership." Hewitt’s letter accuses Fifa of failures in governance and a breakdown in culture within the organisation.
The FA has been concerned since the World Cup over the handling of Folarin Balogun’s sanction and requested documents relating to his overturned ban. Balogun, 25, received a straight red card for a foul on Tarik Muharemovic in England’s 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the last 32 but was allowed to play against Belgium in the last 16 despite what would normally have been a one-match suspension; Fifa said the automatic ban would be suspended for a year and cited only a rule allowing punishments to be suspended, providing no further reasoning.
The FA had sent a letter of support for Infantino’s re-election before the Balogun matter arose, but voiced deep concerns about political intervention after the case. US President Donald Trump later confirmed he called Infantino to ask for Balogun’s ban to be reviewed.
The FFE plan, revealed through the media days after the World Cup final, prompted an open letter last month from Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation accusing Fifa and Infantino of breaking trust "through deception." Several national associations, including those of England, Wales and Scotland, have withdrawn letters backing Infantino’s re-election, while the confederations of Africa, South America and Oceania have reiterated their support.
Infantino, 56, is standing for a fourth term at the election in March, with potential opponents having until 18 November to register as alternative candidates. After FFE was cancelled, Infantino convened a meeting of the Fifa management board in Rabat, Morocco, but there has been no prior contact with the Fifa Council to explain the proposal; Hewitt has said Infantino should provide the requested documents in advance of the Council’s next meeting.
Hewitt set a deadline for those documents to be made available before the Fifa Council meeting on 15 October, and she has requested that the Council receive a formal explanation for the Balogun suspension decision ahead of that session.
