Fifa accuses Uefa of 'smear campaign' against Infantino
September 3, 2026 19:01
Fifa has accused Uefa of running a "smear campaign" after the European body filed for US court-ordered disclosure as part of potential criminal proceedings in Switzerland linked to Gianni Infantino's abandoned plan to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights. Uefa has alleged "criminal mismanagement" and that Infantino promoted an off-market price for his own benefit over the proposed Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme.
In response, Fifa lodged court papers in the US — documents seen by the BBC — asking a judge to reject Uefa's discovery request by the end of the month. Fifa argues the FFE was only a proposal that required approval from member associations and the Fifa Council and says Uefa lacks authority to seek the foreign criminal discovery it requests.
KEY CONTEXT
- Uefa filed legal paperwork in the United States seeking documents and testimony related to FFE as part of inquiries tied to possible Swiss criminal claims.
- The FFE idea involved private investment in a new Fifa commercial vehicle; Thrive Eternal and venture capitalist Joshua Kushner were engaged in talks to lead a proposed $4.2bn investment for a 20% stake before the plan was shelved after it was revealed in July.
- Fifa has said FFE would have raised the annual distribution to each national association for the 2027–2030 cycle from £5.9m to £14.7m. Uefa disputes aspects of the project, alleging the World Cup was undervalued at roughly £15bn and that necessary internal consultations did not take place.
WHY IT MATTERS
The clash elevates a governance dispute into cross-border litigation, with two of world football's most powerful bodies publicly at odds over transparency, valuation and decision-making.