The European football association is taking significant legal action against fifa president Gianni Infantino concerning a botched plan to sell stakes in the commercial rights of World Cup tournaments to private investors.
According to a report by BBC Sport, Uefa has filed requests for document disclosures and evidence in order to pursue criminal charges in Switzerland. The governing body accuses Infantino of "criminal mismanagement" and is considering holding other high-ranking officials accountable as well.
Understanding the allegations and the fifa forward enterprise project
Immediately following the conclusion of the World Cup, Infantino proposed the creation of a subsidiary, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), to sell shares in fifa tournaments to external investors for a staggering $4.2 billion. Uefa estimates that the overall valuation of this commercial scheme was a mere $20 billion - a significantly undervalued and unverified price tag touted by the fifa president for the alleged benefit of a select group. Following a wave of backlash and threats of boycotts from European associations, the plan was ultimately shelved.
Uefa's statement noted that the proposal was crafted in secret, away from the eyes of the fifa Council and national associations:
This was effectively a tool for Infantino and a select few, allowing them to gain a permanent share and profit from fifa's most valuable assets to the detriment of the organisation, its members, and the wider football community. Infantino rushed the approval of this project at an emergency meeting, where senior executives were given mere hours to greenlight a multi-billion-dollar scheme.
On Thursday, 27 August, just before the Champions League draw in Monaco, European football leadership convened an emergency meeting:
The attendees unanimously authorised the president and Uefa administration to deploy all available institutional, political, and legal mechanisms to enforce fundamental reforms, restore stricter presidential powers, and return fifa's governance back to an institutional framework rather than a structure revolving around an individual.
Legal cases in the US
In gathering evidence ahead of the Swiss lawsuit, Uefa has made requests to American courts:
- Florida: access to financial records of Fifa Americas and FWC2026;
- New York: disclosure of correspondence from Thrive Capital fund, linked to Josh Kushner, and investment bank JPMorgan;
- Colorado: seizure of documentation from Bann Ventures, associated with former Formula 1 chief Greg Maffei, who served as a key advisor on the deal.
Legal experts have confirmed that there are sufficient grounds to submit a claim under Swiss law, which could entail prison sentences for such offences. Infantino plans to run for a fourth presidential term in March, but Uefa's legal assault signals the onset of a new, dramatic chapter in the battle for control in world football.
