FIFA has accused UEFA of conducting a “misinformation campaign” against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, escalating an increasingly bitter dispute over a now-abandoned commercial investment proposal.
The latest clash follows UEFA’s efforts to obtain documents and testimony through U.S. federal courts as part of preparations for a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials. UEFA has said it is examining whether the handling of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal could amount to criminal mismanagement under Swiss law.
The FFE plan envisaged transferring commercial rights connected to the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup to a new FIFA subsidiary, with private investors taking a stake. The proposal was abandoned in July after strong opposition from UEFA and other football bodies.
UEFA has alleged that the project was developed without adequate consultation with FIFA’s governing bodies and questioned the way the proposed company was structured and valued. It has also sought evidence concerning the role of potential investors and financial advisers involved in the project.
FIFA has rejected those allegations. In its latest court filing, the organization argued that UEFA’s legal efforts were intended to publicly damage Infantino and influence FIFA’s upcoming presidential election, which is expected to take place in March 2027. FIFA urged the U.S. court to reject UEFA’s request for discovery.
FIFA’s lawyers also disputed the suggestion that Infantino sought personal financial gain from the FFE proposal, describing such an allegation as unsupported. The organization has argued that the proposed structure would have required approval through FIFA’s established governance procedures.
The dispute has intensified ahead of the FIFA presidential election, with FIFA portraying UEFA’s legal actions as part of a broader effort to challenge Infantino’s leadership. UEFA has not commented on the latest filing.
UEFA’s legal applications in the United States do not themselves establish criminal wrongdoing. They are intended to obtain evidence that UEFA says could be used in a potential Swiss proceeding, and no criminal charges against Infantino have been established in connection with the FFE proposal.
The dispute comes amid wider disagreements between FIFA and UEFA over governance, financial distributions and the balance of power within world football. UEFA and CONCACAF have recently called for greater distributions from FIFA’s reserves to national associations, while Infantino has ordered a review of those proposals.
