FIFA Accuses UEFA of Misinformation to Sabotage Infantino

A federal court filing by FIFA has escalated tensions with UEFA, alleging that the European football body is conducting a coordinated effort to spread false information. The global governing body claims this campaign aims to undermine its stability and interfere with the upcoming presidential election process.

Legal Filings in Florida Court

FIFA responded to UEFA’s legal actions in the United States by submitting counter-documents in a district court in Florida. Last month, UEFA sought disclosure of evidence related to the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme. This request was accompanied by threats to file a criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

UEFA alleged that Infantino engaged in "criminal mismanagement" by promoting a proposition they claimed was heavily undervalued for personal gain. FIFA rejected these accusations, labeling them part of a targeted harassment strategy rather than legitimate oversight.

Dispute Over Valuation Claims

The core of the financial dispute centers on the valuation of the FFE proposal. UEFA asserted that the venture was fraudulently undervalued at $20 billion. FIFA countered that critics had confused equity value with total enterprise value, which exceeded $30 billion.

In its court response, FIFA condemned UEFA’s attempts to secure sensitive documents, stating the application contained "numerous false or misleading statements about FIFA and Infantino." The filing emphasized that exploring the private investment project was an organizational duty, not a clandestine plot.

Political Timing Alleged

FIFA argued that UEFA deliberately misunderstood the financial structuring of the proposal. "With no basis whatsoever, UEFA suggests that Mr Infantino sought to profit personally from the FFE proposal," FIFA stated in the filing, seen by Reuters. They added that suggestions of legal or ethical violations were "categorically without merit."

The documents urged the US court to recognize the political timing of the lawsuit. "Just before FIFA's election, UEFA filed this 1782 Application (and three others) spreading misinformation regarding Mr Infantino," the filing declared. It requested the court reject any attempt to influence the presidential election based on these grounds.

Background of Investment Collapse

The FFE initiative originally proposed selling stakes in the World Cup and other major tournaments to private investors. The project was scrapped in July following opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation, who cited a lack of consultation.

This collapse triggered a leadership crisis, with UEFA openly losing confidence in Infantino. The resulting rebellion sparked calls for his immediate resignation. FIFA views the ongoing legal pressure as a calculated political attack, describing the discovery requests as "farcically overbroad" and "in bad faith."

Election Deadline Approaches

Infantino remains determined to secure a fourth term when presidential elections take place in March 2027. Critics face a deadline of November 18 to present a credible alternative candidate to challenge his reign.

To address growing unrest, the Swiss administrator recently proposed measures to ease tensions. However, FIFA maintains that UEFA is scrambling to destabilise his leadership ahead of the impending election cycle.