UEFA Escalates Conflict with FIFA: Seeking US Evidence for Potential Criminal Case Against Gianni Infantino

The already strained relationship between UEFA and FIFA has reached a critical turning point as the European football governing body initiates formal legal proceedings in the United States to secure evidence. This move marks a significant escalation in UEFA’s campaign to hold FIFA President Gianni Infantino accountable for his role in the now-abandoned “FIFA Forward Enterprise” (FFE) commercial proposal.

A Quest for Evidence Across the Atlantic

UEFA has filed applications with federal courts in the U.S. seeking testimony and documentation from FIFA-related entities based in Florida, specifically FIFA Americas and FWC2026. According to reports from BBC Sport and Reuters, these legal maneuvers are designed to gather materials that UEFA intends to utilize in potential criminal proceedings in Switzerland against Infantino and his close circle of advisors.

The filings represent a stark shift from traditional political friction. UEFA alleges that Infantino engaged in “criminal mismanagement” regarding the FFE plan, which sought to shift commercial rights for major tournaments—including the men’s and women’s World Cups—into a new, separate entity.

The “FIFA Forward Enterprise” Controversy

The disputed FFE scheme, which was publicly unveiled by Infantino on July 28, 2026, is at the heart of the standoff. UEFA’s legal application claims that the proposal was developed in secret by a “small circle of co-conspirators” for over a year before being pushed through an internal approval process with minimal oversight.

Most damagingly, UEFA has challenged the valuation of the assets involved in the proposed deal. The governing body alleges that Infantino attempted to sell stakes in FIFA’s commercial arm to private investors at an “absurdly low” $20 billion enterprise value, lacking any independent testing or competitive auction process. UEFA characterizes this as a “fraudulent off-market price” intended to benefit the architects of the deal rather than the global football community.

Broadening the Legal Net

The investigation is not limited to Florida. UEFA is casting a wider net, with filings lodged in New York targeting investment firm Thrive Capital and its founder, Josh Kushner, as well as the investment bank JP Morgan. Additionally, documentation is being sought in Colorado concerning Greg Maffei of Bann Ventures, whom UEFA identifies as a “key commercial adviser” to the project.

While these steps are currently focused on evidence gathering rather than a formal criminal conviction, the implications for Infantino’s leadership are severe.

A Political Landscape in Turmoil

The move to the courts follows an increasingly hostile political environment. Major confederations—including UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and Concacaf—have accused Infantino of relying on “deception” to govern. This has led to a wave of high-profile defections; European nations like England, Wales, Ireland, and now Italy have publicly withdrawn support for Infantino’s re-election bid in March 2027.

During a recent summit in Monaco, UEFA officials were unanimously mandated to pursue “every available institutional, political and legal avenue” to reform FIFA. The goal, according to the organization, is to dismantle the current concentration of power around the presidency and ensure that FIFA operates as a transparent institution rather than one centered on a single individual.

As the FIFA president faces a narrowing path to his fourth term, the transition from political maneuvering to potential criminal litigation suggests that the battle for the future of football governance is only just beginning.