UEFA is preparing to initiate criminal proceedings against FIFA President Gianni Infantino concerning his controversial plan to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA's tournament rights, according to court documents filed in the United States.
The filings, submitted by UEFA’s legal team, describe the proposed $4.2 billion deal as “absurdly low” and criticize the process for lacking transparency and independent valuation. UEFA alleges that the sale, which involved private investors led by Joshua Kushner, would have allowed Infantino and a close group of associates to profit personally from FIFA’s most valuable assets, to the detriment of the organisation and its member associations.
According to the court documents, UEFA and its counsel are considering launching criminal charges in Switzerland against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code. The filings note that Swiss law does not require UEFA or its member associations to prove a likely success before commencing such proceedings. If found guilty, those involved could face prison sentences of up to three years.
The sale would have transferred interests in a company named FIFA Forward Enterprise, structured to monetize FIFA’s tournaments. Infantino has defended the proposal, arguing it would strengthen the financial positions of FIFA’s member associations, particularly those in need. However, the plan faced significant opposition and was withdrawn three days after its details were reported publicly. UEFA member nations subsequently voted to boycott FIFA competitions in response.
The documents also detail the financial incentives purportedly offered to FIFA’s 211 national associations to gain approval for the transaction. It was reported these inducements were unusually large in proportion to the operating budgets of many associations and were conditional on approving the permanent sale. UEFA alleges these payments were drawn from FIFA’s existing reserves and anticipated future revenues, effectively requiring members to sacrifice long-term commercial rights for immediate financial gain.
Furthermore, UEFA criticizes the compressed timeline imposed by Infantino and his associates, which allowed only 53 days—from the plan’s announcement on July 28, 2026, to a September 19 deadline—for consideration of the major restructuring.
In addition to pursuing criminal proceedings, UEFA’s filings seek court orders compelling Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital fund to disclose all documents and electronic data concerning FIFA Forward Enterprise, and to provide evidence under subpoena.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between FIFA’s leadership and European football authorities over governance and commercial strategies within the global football governing body.