UEFA Pursuing Criminal Legal Action Against Infantino

UEFA is seeking criminal legal proceedings against FIFA president Gianni Infantino over a scrapped plan to sell stakes in FIFA's World Cup and other competitions to private investors. European football's governing body claims Infantino orchestrated the plan to enrich himself and potential investors at the expense of FIFA, its members, and others in the football community.

The proposal, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), involved selling stakes in FIFA's football competitions to private investors, a move that UEFA argues was "fraudulently off-market" and "a vehicle for Infantino and that small circle to acquire a permanent stake in and otherwise profit from FIFA's most valuable assets." Documents show UEFA has requested access to evidence and documents for use in proceedings in Switzerland against Infantino, who is accused of "criminal mismanagement."

UEFA claims the valuation of the stakes to be sold was not independently verified and would have been offered at an unreasonably low price, suggesting a fraud. The application for evidence is being made to a court in Florida, where UEFA plans to pursue criminal charges against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials. UEFA maintains that the plan was developed in secret without consulting FIFA, UEFA, or other confederations, or any of the 211 FIFA member associations.