Summary
- FIFA has accused UEFA of using a legal request to harass President Gianni Infantino and influence the upcoming FIFA presidential election, according to a court filing in Florida.
- UEFA has said it is considering criminal proceedings in Switzerland against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials and advisers over the FFE plan.
- In its filing, FIFA said the FFE plan would have required approval and oversight by FIFA’s governing bodies.
FIFA has accused UEFA of using a legal request to harass President Gianni Infantino and influence the upcoming FIFA presidential election, according to a court filing in Florida.
The filing seeks to block UEFA’s request for documents and testimony from FIFA entities in the United States concerning the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan, which proposed transferring commercial rights linked to FIFA tournaments to a new subsidiary.
UEFA has said it is considering criminal proceedings in Switzerland against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials and advisers over the FFE plan. It has sought evidence from FIFA entities in the United States that it says could be relevant to those proceedings.
FIFA rejected UEFA’s allegations, including the suggestion that Infantino sought to profit personally from the proposal. In its filing, FIFA said the FFE plan would have required approval and oversight by FIFA’s governing bodies.
“UEFA’s conduct demonstrates that its application was made in bad faith and for the purpose of harassment,” FIFA’s lawyers wrote in the filing.
The lawyers also accused UEFA of seeking to influence the presidential election through its legal action.
“Just before FIFA’s election, UEFA filed this application [and three others] spreading misinformation regarding Mr Infantino,” the filing said. “This court should reject any attempt to influence FIFA’s presidential election based on these grounds.”
The dispute comes as FIFA prepares for its presidential election, scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco. Candidates must submit their nominations by Nov. 18, 2026.
Infantino has confirmed that he will seek re-election for a fourth term, which would run through 2031 if he wins. He is currently the only declared candidate.
UEFA has alleged that Infantino and a small group of advisers and investors developed the FFE proposal without proper consultation with FIFA’s governing bodies. FIFA abandoned the plan after opposition from several football confederations.
The legal dispute is part of a broader disagreement between FIFA and UEFA over the governance and commercialisation of world football.
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