{
  "id": 3763022,
  "title": "JUST IN: UEFA opens criminal proceedings against FIFA, Infantino",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/just-in-uefa-opens-criminal-proceedings-against-fifa-infantino-3763022",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-27T15:38:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/just-in-uefa-opens-criminal-proceedings-against-fifa-infantino/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "UEFA has initiated criminal proceedings against FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, concerning a scrapped plan to sell commercial rights of FIFA tournaments to private investors. Swiss documents revealed that UEFA applied for access to evidence in order to pursue the matter in a Swiss court. The plan was announced by Infantino on July 28, 2026, without consulting FIFA Council, UEFA, other confederations or FIFA's 211 member associations. The documents stated that Infantino purportedly acted on behalf of FIFA and announced the plan to place commercial rights of men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup into a new FIFA subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise. UEFA alleged that the plan was secretly developed by Infantino and a small group of associates for over a year. The proposed investment structure has since been abandoned. UEFA's legal action could intensify scrutiny on FIFA's governance and management of commercial rights of its major tournaments. The proceedings are being pursued in Switzerland, FIFA's headquarters. UEFA seeks access to relevant documents and evidence in order to strengthen the case against FIFA and Infantino.",
  "summary": "UEFA has initiated criminal proceedings against FIFA and President Gianni Infantino over a scrapped plan to sell World Cup commercial rights. Learn more ab Read More: https://punchng.com/just-in-uefa-opens-criminal-proceedings-against-fifa-infantino/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 11,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Uefa set to drop Fifa boycott threat after securing assurances over Infantino’s failed World Cup sell-off plan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/uefa-set-to-drop-fifa-boycott-threat-after-securing-assurances-over",
        "published": "2026-08-27T01:14:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Saudi Arabia backs Infantino amid fallout from failed FIFA investment plan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/saudi-arabia-backs-infantino-amid-fallout-from-failed-fifa-investment",
        "published": "2026-08-27T11:42:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "UEFA prepares criminal complaint in Swiss courts against FIFA’s Infantino over World Cup sell-off",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/uefa-prepares-criminal-complaint-in-swiss-courts-against-fifas",
        "published": "2026-08-27T14:13:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "World Cup sell-off: UEFA to file criminal complaint against Infantino",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/world-cup-sell-off-uefa-to-file-criminal-complaint-against-infantino",
        "published": "2026-08-27T14:38:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "DW News",
        "title": "UEFA to bring criminal complaint against Infantino",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/uefa-to-bring-criminal-complaint-against-infantino",
        "published": "2026-08-27T15:26:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "UEFA asks US court for FIFA documents for criminal case against Infantino",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/uefa-asks-us-court-for-fifa-documents-for-criminal-case-against",
        "published": "2026-08-27T15:32:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "JUST IN: UEFA opens criminal proceedings against FIFA, Infantino",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/just-in-uefa-opens-criminal-proceedings-against-fifa-infantino",
        "published": "2026-08-27T15:34:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hacker News",
        "title": "Uefa pursuing criminal legal action against Infantino",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/uefa-pursuing-criminal-legal-action-against-infantino",
        "published": "2026-08-27T15:37:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "GBC Ghana",
        "title": "Uefa pursuing criminal legal action against Infantino",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/uefa-pursuing-criminal-legal-action-against-infantino-3764192",
        "published": "2026-08-27T15:38:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "UEFA planning criminal claim against FIFA boss over World Cup proposal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/uefa-planning-criminal-claim-against-fifa-boss-over-world-cup-proposal",
        "published": "2026-08-27T17:29:38.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}