Uefa preparing criminal case against Fifa president Gianni Infantino over World Cup sell off plan

UEFA is preparing criminal proceedings against FIFA president Gianni Infantino for his failed attempt to sell off stakes in the World Cup. The European football governing body has requested documents related to Infantino's Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan, which aimed to seek private investment in the World Cup and other tournaments.

UEFA claims that Infantino developed the proposal in secret with a select group of advisers and investors, bypassing normal governance processes and failing to consult FIFA's Council, regional confederations, or member associations. The request for evidence was filed in the United States for use in proceedings against Infantino and FIFA in Switzerland.

The organization argues that the plan was designed to grant Infantino and a small circle of associates a permanent stake in FIFA's most valuable assets at the expense of the global football family. Infantino pushed the plan through internal FIFA approval in a hastily convened meeting, giving limited time to officials who were unaware of its existence.

The application also highlights the questionable valuation of the stakes, which was deemed too low at $4.2 billion, implying an unrealistic enterprise value of approximately $20 billion. This low valuation was attributed to the lack of an open, competitive auction and independent valuation. UEFA asserts that the secretive structure, valuation, financing, and marketing of the plan caused direct injury to FIFA's reputation, governance authority, and commercial relationships, affecting the organization and its 211 member associations.