Gianni Infantino faces a new legal threat as UEFA prepares a criminal complaint tied to FIFA’s abandoned plan to bring private investment into its tournament business. The move raises the stakes in an already bitter fight between FIFA and European soccer’s governing body.
UEFA is seeking documents and testimony from FIFA entities in the United States before pursuing claims in Switzerland. The allegations center on governance, valuation, and whether Infantino and advisers acted outside FIFA’s normal decision-making process.
The case is especially significant because the disputed proposal involved some of FIFA’s most valuable commercial rights worldwide. However, no criminal case has been filed yet, and the allegations have not been proven.
UEFA is preparing a Swiss complaint
UEFA told a U.S. federal court that it and other interested parties are preparing criminal claims in Switzerland against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials and advisers.
The planned complaint would allege criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code. UEFA is seeking evidence about how the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal was developed, structured, and approved.
The immediate legal step is evidence gathering, not a criminal conviction or completed prosecution. It is reported that UEFA filed an application seeking documents and testimony from FIFA Americas Inc. and FWC2026 US Inc., both based in Florida.
What was FIFA Forward Enterprise?
FIFA Forward Enterprise was presented in late July as a proposed FIFA-owned subsidiary to consolidate commercial and event operations and potentially unlock more funding for football development.
FIFA said the proposal could increase development funding for its 211 member associations. Infantino described it as an opportunity that would require member approval, while FIFA said the project would proceed through consultation.
Why UEFA says the plan crossed a line
UEFA’s court filing alleges that Infantino and a small group of advisers and investors worked on the proposal for more than a year without consulting the FIFA Council, confederations, or member associations.
Those are allegations made by UEFA, not established findings. FIFA has previously said the proposal was subject to consultation and approval. The dispute now centers on whether the project complied with FIFA’s governance procedures.
The proposal was withdrawn almost immediately
On July 31, Infantino announced that FIFA Forward Enterprise would not proceed after acknowledging that the proposal had created divisions that no longer served its original objective.
That withdrawal did not end the dispute. UEFA has since demanded an independent external review and argued that abandoning the project does not resolve broader concerns about FIFA governance.
On Aug. 27, UEFA said that FIFA had confirmed in writing that the project had been permanently withdrawn. UEFA then provisionally suspended its threat to withdraw European teams from upcoming FIFA competitions while continuing its legal and governance push.
Fun fact: Infantino became FIFA president in 2016 after previously serving as UEFA’s general secretary. His career, therefore, includes senior leadership roles at both of soccer’s most powerful governing bodies.
The financial questions are central
UEFA’s objections extend beyond outside investors. Its legal filing questions the proposed valuation of FIFA Forward Enterprise and the necessity of outside investment given FIFA’s existing financial position.
The controversy intensified after Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser involved with the proposal and former U.S. Soccer president, resigned. Reuters reported that Cordeiro criticized the plan and said he believed FIFA did not need the proposed financing.
Infantino still has important support
Saudi Arabia’s football federation publicly backed him after the project was withdrawn, while FIFA leadership has also reaffirmed support for the president. Reuters reported that Infantino still retains backing from parts of Africa and South America.
At the same time, several European associations have openly questioned his leadership. The six Nordic football associations said this month that they had lost confidence in Infantino and called for major governance reforms.
Fun fact: Infantino was born in Brig, Switzerland, to Italian parents and holds both Swiss and Italian citizenship. His background reflects the cross-border nature of European soccer that has shaped much of his career.
What happens next?
The next stage is likely to focus on evidence. UEFA wants U.S. courts to authorize discovery from FIFA entities and other parties to examine communications, financial materials, and the decision-making process behind FIFA Forward Enterprise.
If UEFA eventually files a complaint in Switzerland, Swiss authorities would then have to determine what action, if any, follows. Until that happens, it would be inaccurate to describe Infantino as facing a criminal conviction or as having completed a prosecution.
The political consequences are already clearer. UEFA has said that if Infantino seeks another term, it will work with partner confederations to offer FIFA member associations an alternative focused on integrity, accountability, and institutional reform.
The bigger fight is about FIFA’s future
This dispute has moved beyond one abandoned commercial proposal. It now represents a broader clash over who controls FIFA’s most valuable assets, how major financial decisions are made, and how much influence confederations and member associations should have.
Infantino’s supporters can point to FIFA’s decision to withdraw the project and the organization’s continued global backing. UEFA, meanwhile, is signaling that withdrawal alone is not enough.
TL;DR
- UEFA is preparing criminal claims in Switzerland against Gianni Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise plan.
- UEFA is seeking documents and testimony from FIFA entities in U.S. courts to support its planned case.
- The allegations concern governance, valuation, and the process used to develop the proposal.
- FIFA withdrew the project on July 31, but UEFA says broader governance concerns remain.
- Infantino still has support from several FIFA members, while some European associations are calling for leadership change.
- No criminal case has been completed, and the allegations against Infantino remain unproven.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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