UEFA Preparing Criminal Legal Action against Infantino

The European football governing body UEFA is preparing to file criminal legal proceedings against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. According to documents obtained by BBC Sport, UEFA is seeking access to evidence and documents to use in a case against Infantino in Switzerland, accusing him of "criminal mismanagement." The Swiss court proceedings could also involve criminal action against other FIFA officials.

Shortly after the 2022 World Cup, Infantino proposed a new company, FIF Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would have sold stakes in FIFA's football competitions to private investors. The plan was halted following widespread criticism. UEFA claims the proposal was a scheme used by Infantino and a select group to gain control over FIFA's most valuable assets at the expense of the organization, its members, and other stakeholders.

UEFA's application for evidence alleges that Infantino pushed the plan through internal FIFA approval during a hastily convened meeting, with only hours given for some management officials to review and sign off on the deal. UEFA asserts that the proposed valuation for the stakes to be sold was not independently verified and would have been offered at a significantly discounted price, describing the plan as a "fraudulent off-market price promoted by Infantino for his own benefit."

UEFA claims that the valuation of the stakes to be sold was not independently verified and would have been offered too cheaply, calling the proposal a "fraudulent off-market price promoted by Infantino for his own benefit." The application also states that the business dealings were conducted under terms announced by Infantino, resulting in an absurdly low enterprise value of around $20 billion for a $4.2 billion acquisition stake, which failed to meet the standards of an open, competitive auction or independent valuations.

UEFA plans to seek files from Florida-based FIFA businesses – FIFA Americas and FWC2026 – to gather evidence for criminal charges to be pursued later in a Swiss court.