{
  "id": 8204738,
  "title": "English FA calls for Infantino to release World Cup sell-off documents",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/english-fa-calls-for-infantino-to-release-world-cup-sell-off-documents",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-18T07:47:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/soccer/world-soccer/english-fa-calls-for-infantino-to-release-world-cup-sell-off-documents/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The chair of the English Football Association, Debbie Hewitt, has urged FIFA president Gianni Infantino to disclose all documentation pertaining to the scrapped plan to sell a portion of the World Cup to private investors. This proposal was short-lived after facing significant opposition from various stakeholders in the sport. UEFA, the European governing body, threatened to boycott all FIFA competitions until the proposal was abandoned.\n\nHewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president and a member of the FIFA Council, has written to Infantino requesting full disclosure of all information related to the scheme before the FIFA Council's next meeting on October 15. Additionally, she has called for the release of documents concerning the suspension of a ban imposed on United States striker Folarin Balogun during the World Cup. This ban followed a phone call from then-US President Donald Trump to Infantino.\n\nInfantino apologized for the handling of the private investor plan in August, and FIFA's management board pledged to conduct a review. However, there has been no confirmation of who is conducting this investigation. UEFA expressed its \"loss of confidence\" in Infantino and has taken legal action in the US court system to seek disclosure of documents related to the private investor plan. Furthermore, UEFA has committed to identifying a suitable candidate to challenge Infantino at the FIFA Congress in March, with the deadline for submitting candidates being November 18. Infantino has confirmed his intention to seek re-election.",
  "summary": "Hewitt has also called for the release of documents relating to the decision to suspend a ban handed to United States striker Folarin Balogun during the World Cup.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}