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England FA chair seeks FIFA review over World Cup investment plan and Balogun suspension

ReutersReuters14 hours ago
England FA chair seeks FIFA review over World Cup investment plan and Balogun suspension

England FA chair and FIFA vice-president Debbie Hewitt has asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to release documents on the abandoned World Cup investment plan and seek an independent review, while also raising the suspension of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun.

England FA chair and FIFA vice-president Debbie Hewitt has written to FIFA President Gianni Infantino ​seeking the release of material related to his ‌abandoned World Cup investment plan and the lifting of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's suspension, an FA source confirmed to ​Reuters on Thursday.

Infantino, 56, has been under mounting ​pressure since unveiling a proposal to sell ⁠a commercial stake in the World Cup to ​private investors.

The plan sparked fierce opposition, with UEFA, the Asian ​Football Confederation and North America's CONCACAF among those calling for changes at the top of FIFA.

Balogun was handed a ​one-match ban at the 2026 World Cup after ​receiving a red card in his side's 2-0 round-of-32 win over ‌Bosnia ⁠and Herzegovina that would have ruled him out of their last-16 clash with Belgium.

That prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to contact Infantino and urge him ​to have ​the punishment ⁠reviewed, with the governing body suspending the ban for one year.

The next FIFA Council ​meeting is scheduled for October 15.

The ​Times reported ⁠that Hewitt sent the letter this week to Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, calling for ⁠an ​independent review of the selloff ​plan.