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FIFA accuses UEFA of smear campaign amid US court battle over aborted World Cup investment plan

FIFA asked US courts to block UEFA's document requests, denying allegations of criminal mismanagement over a scrapped private investment proposal.

Updated Sep 3, 2026 · 20:26 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • FIFA has asked US judges to dismiss or permit it to contest document disclosure requests filed by UEFA across three states.
  • UEFA seeks internal records to prepare a Swiss criminal mismanagement complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino regarding a shelved plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.
  • FIFA contends that UEFA's legal actions bypass Swiss courts and lack legal standing because no criminal proceedings exist and UEFA incurred no financial harm.
  • The US courts must now decide whether to permit FIFA to formally oppose the disclosure petitions.

Key facts

  • FIFA filed motions in US courts requesting to defer or oppose UEFA's legal petitions for internal documents and testimony.[Al Jazeera · BBC News]
  • UEFA filed discovery applications in three US states targeting FIFA and prospective investment partners, including Joshua Kushner's Thrive Capital.[Al Jazeera]
  • UEFA accused Gianni Infantino of criminal mismanagement and promoting an off-market price for personal benefit through the scrapped FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.[BBC News]
  • FIFA argues that UEFA lacks standing because no criminal case is active and UEFA suffered no financial loss, claiming the scheme was merely a proposal that required FIFA Council approval.[Al Jazeera · BBC News]
  • The investor proposal, unveiled in July, was aborted after significant opposition and World Cup boycott threats from UEFA.[Al Jazeera]
  • The Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF joined UEFA in an August 10 joint letter criticizing FIFA's governance.[Al Jazeera]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether US courts will grant UEFA's disclosure petitions or accept FIFA's objections remains undecided.[Al Jazeera · BBC News]
  • It is unconfirmed whether Swiss authorities will accept or initiate formal criminal proceedings against Infantino if UEFA files a complaint.[Al Jazeera]

Sources