Uefa preparing criminal legal action against Infantino

Fifa president Gianni Infantino is facing potential criminal legal action from European football's governing body, Uefa. Uefa claims Infantino orchestrated a plan to sell off stakes in Fifa's World Cup and other competitions to private investors, a scheme that was ultimately scrapped following widespread criticism. The plan, known as Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), involved creating a new company to sell stakes in Fifa's football competitions to private investors.

However, Uefa argues that Infantino's primary motivation was to enrich himself and a select group of investors at the expense of Fifa and its members. The proposed sale would have been conducted at an "absurdly low enterprise value," and Uefa accuses Infantino of defrauding potential investors. Furthermore, Uefa states that the valuation of the stakes for sale was not independently verified, and that the plan was devised in secret over a year without the knowledge of Uefa or other key stakeholders in football.

Uefa also alleges that the plan inflicted direct harm on Fifa's reputation, governance, and commercial relationships. Infantino, who is seeking a fourth term as Fifa president in March, has faced calls to resign following the cancellation of the controversial plan. Uefa has led the backlash, with its 55 member nations voting to boycott World Cups unless the FFE proposal is abandoned.