European football’s governing body, UEFA, is preparing a criminal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over allegations of possible “criminal mismanagement” linked to his now-abandoned plan to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial rights to private investors.
The development marks a major escalation in the growing dispute between UEFA and FIFA leadership, with UEFA considering legal action against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials under Swiss law.
According to court documents filed in the United States, UEFA is seeking access to documents and testimony that could be used in a potential criminal proceeding in Switzerland. The organisation has approached US courts for evidence from FIFA entities and Thrive Capital Management, the investment firm founded by Joshua Kushner, which was expected to play a leading role in the proposed investment.
At the centre of the dispute is the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a proposed subsidiary through which FIFA intended to transfer commercial rights connected to major competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup.
Under the abandoned proposal, private investors were expected to pay about $4.2 billion for a 20 per cent stake in the new entity. UEFA has questioned the valuation, arguing that FIFA’s commercial assets were being offered at an unusually low price without an open competitive bidding process or an independent valuation.
UEFA also alleges that the FFE proposal was developed without adequate consultation with FIFA’s governing bodies and that Infantino worked with a small group of advisers and investors in developing the plan.
The proposal sparked strong opposition from UEFA and other football stakeholders before Infantino abandoned it on August 1 following widespread criticism. UEFA had previously warned FIFA to preserve documents and communications relating to the project as it considered possible legal action.
The latest court filings are intended to help UEFA gather evidence before deciding whether to formally lodge the criminal complaint in Switzerland. The potential case would focus on allegations of criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code.
FIFA and Thrive Capital have been approached for their responses to UEFA’s legal moves, but no substantive response had been reported at the time of publication.
The dispute further deepens tensions between UEFA and Infantino, who is seeking another term as FIFA president. UEFA’s latest move could add significant pressure on the FIFA leadership ahead of the organisation’s presidential election scheduled for March 2027.
For now, UEFA’s action remains at the evidence-gathering stage, with the European body yet to formally file a criminal complaint in Switzerland.
