UEFA seeks US court help in planned Swiss case against Infantino

MANCHESTER: UEFA has approached a US federal court seeking access to documents and testimony from FIFA-linked entities in Florida as it considers filing a criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

According to a court filing, European football’s governing body has submitted an application seeking permission to obtain evidence from two FIFA-related organisations based in Florida.

UEFA is examining possible criminal proceedings against Infantino, as well as potentially other FIFA officials and advisers, over a controversial commercial proposal that has since been abandoned.

The case centres on a plan to move commercial rights connected to the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup into a new subsidiary known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

UEFA alleges that the proposal was developed privately by Infantino and a limited group of advisers and investors. The organisation claims that the process bypassed FIFA’s established governance procedures.

According to UEFA’s filing, the proposal was not properly presented to FIFA’s Council, the regional football confederations or FIFA’s member associations.

UEFA is now seeking evidence that could help establish how the proposed transaction was developed and handled.

The requested discovery includes documents and testimony from FIFA (AMERICAS), Inc. and FWC2026 US, Inc., both of which are based in Florida.

UEFA said the two entities could hold information relevant to the origins and structure of the proposed FFE transaction. The requested material could also shed light on how the value of the proposed arrangement was assessed and how the plan progressed through the approval process.

The application was filed under US law to obtain evidence for potential legal proceedings abroad. UEFA has not yet filed the proposed criminal complaint in Switzerland, and the proceedings under consideration remain at an investigative stage.

The development adds another layer to the ongoing scrutiny surrounding FIFA’s governance and commercial decision-making.

The planned transfer of major tournament-related commercial rights had the potential to significantly alter how valuable FIFA assets were managed. Although the proposal has now been abandoned, UEFA is seeking to establish the circumstances surrounding its conception and development.