Infantino faces legal threat as UEFA members withdraw support ahead of FIFA vote

The legal dispute between UEFA and FIFA president Gianni Infantino has escalated, with European football’s governing body warning that it is considering court action over FIFA’s proposed FFE plan.

UEFA sent a letter to FIFA and Infantino last Friday, according to The Telegraph, which obtained a copy of the document. In it, UEFA said it was preparing to take legal steps in response to the proposal.

« Nous vous informons officiellement que nous envisageons serieusement des poursuites judiciaires en reponse au plan FFE propose par la FIFA. »

The letter also instructed Infantino and FIFA to preserve material that could be relevant to any future proceedings.

« Vous et la FIFA devez prendre des mesures immediates pour identifier tous les documents et les informations stockees electroniquement », the letter said.

UEFA warned that anyone responsible for destroying or withholding documents after receiving the letter could also face legal action.

« En cas de destruction ou de retention de documents pertinents apres reception de la presente lettre, l’UEFA se reserve le droit d’engager des poursuites contre les responsables. »

Companies that had intended to take part in the FFE plan were also sent the letter. UEFA said those businesses could be subject to legal proceedings as well.

The move came after UEFA withdrew its confidence in Infantino last weekend over his plan to sell stakes linked to the World Cup. European football’s governing body responded quickly and firmly to the Swiss FIFA president, with all 55 UEFA member associations deciding to boycott the competition if the proposal remained in place.

The dispute has also begun to affect Infantino’s position ahead of the next FIFA presidential election, which will cover the 2027-31 term.

The Football Association of Wales has formally withdrawn its support for Infantino, making it the first country to take that step ahead of the election.

In a statement, the association said:

« Les erreurs commises recemment ont conduit la Federation galloise de football a perdre confiance en la direction de M. Infantino. »

The Football Association has also stopped backing Infantino, according to Martyn Ziegler of The Times Sport. The FA is expected to make its position clear to Infantino in writing, telling him that it no longer has confidence in his leadership and will not support his election campaign.

The developments represent a significant challenge to Infantino as UEFA members continue to oppose the proposed World Cup-related plan. The possibility of legal proceedings, combined with the withdrawal of support from Wales and England, has increased the pressure on the FIFA president before the vote for the 2027-31 period.

UEFA’s warning means the disagreement is no longer limited to a political dispute within football’s governing structures. The organisation has formally raised the possibility of court action and called for all relevant documents and electronically stored information to be preserved while the issue develops.