UEFA has formally contacted FIFA demanding answers to a list of 42 questions, covering topics that range from president Gianni Infantino's proposal to partially sell off commercial rights to the World Cup to the controversial overturning of a red card issued to Folarin Balogun during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The move signals a significant escalation in tensions between European football's governing body and its global counterpart. The sheer volume of questions — 42 in total — suggests UEFA has deep concerns about the direction of FIFA's leadership and decision-making at the highest level of the sport.

Among the most contentious issues is Infantino's reported plan to sell a stake in the World Cup, a proposal that could fundamentally reshape how football's flagship tournament is owned and operated. Critics within European football have raised alarms about the long-term implications of bringing private investors into the tournament's commercial structure.

Equally controversial is the reversal of the red card shown to Balogun at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Decisions of that nature — made at the game's grandest stage — demand transparency, and UEFA's inclusion of the matter in its formal list of demands reflects how seriously European federations are treating the incident.

The decision to submit a formal list of demands rather than pursue quieter diplomatic channels underlines how strained the relationship between UEFA and FIFA has become. European football's administrators appear determined to hold FIFA publicly accountable on issues they consider fundamental to the integrity of the sport.

FIFA has not yet issued a public response to UEFA's demands. How the global body answers — or chooses not to — is likely to define the tone of the relationship between the two organisations for the foreseeable future.