FA's Hewitt asks Infantino to release records on World Cup plan, Balogun suspension

Sept 17 : 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.