UEFA Seeks US Court Documents to Launch Criminal Case Against FIFA President Gianni Infantino

Gianni Infantino's FIFA presidency faces fresh turbulence following a now-abandoned plan regarding commercial rights linked to FIFA competition. European football’s governing body, UEFA, has formally asked a US federal court for permission to secure testimony and documents from FIFA entities located in Florida. This information is intended for a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, according to recent court filings.

In an ex parte application submitted under US law, UEFA stated it is actively weighing criminal proceedings against Gianni Infantino, alongside potentially other FIFA officials and advisers. The legal scrutiny stems from a previously abandoned proposal to transfer commercial rights for men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup into a new subsidiary named FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

“UEFA is actively considering legal action arising out of and in connection with the … plan proposed by FIFA,” the legal document filed in a Florida court stated, according to the AFP news agency. The filing adds that UEFA and other interested parties are preparing to bring criminal claims in Switzerland against Gianni Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials and advisors for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code.

According to UEFA allegations, Gianni Infantino developed the proposal in secret alongside a small group of advisers and investors. The process allegedly bypassed normal governance procedures at FIFA, failing to consult the FIFA Council, regional confederations, or member associations.

The legal filing requests authorization from a US court to obtain discovery from FIFA (AMERICAS), Inc. and FWC2026 US, Inc., which are two Florida-based FIFA entities. UEFA notes that these organizations likely hold documents and witnesses crucial to understanding how the FFE transaction was conceived, structured, valued, and approved.