FIFA accuses UEFA of ‘misinformation campaign’ over Gianni Infantino court filing

FIFA has accused UEFA of running a “misinformation campaign” to influence the upcoming presidential election as it urged a US court to reject a request for evidence linked to an abandoned commercial investment plan.

UEFA last month asked a federal court in the US to authorise the collection of testimony and documents for a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The complaint concerns a proposal to transfer World Cup commercial rights to a subsidiary called Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).

In a filing to the Southern District of Florida, FIFA said UEFA had made “numerous false or misleading statements about Fifa and Infantino”.

“With no basis whatsoever, Uefa suggests that Mr Infantino sought to profit personally from the FFE proposal,” FIFA said.

It added that the plan required approval from FIFA’s member associations and Council, while FFE would have remained subject to oversight from both bodies.

“Uefa’s suggestions that Mr Infantino violated any law or ethical principle are categorically without merit,” FIFA said. UEFA declined to comment.

UEFA has alleged that Infantino developed the proposal secretly with a small group of advisers and investors, without following FIFA’s usual governance procedures or consulting the Council, continental confederations and member associations.

Its filing sought permission to obtain evidence from Fifa (AMERICAS), Inc and FWC2026 US, Inc, two FIFA entities based in Florida. UEFA said investors would have paid $4.2bn for a stake in FFE, giving the business a valuation of about $20bn.

The confederation argued that this undervalued FIFA’s commercial rights and said the proposal had not been tested through an open auction or independent valuation.

FIFA rejected that assessment, saying UEFA had confused equity value with enterprise value. It said FFE’s initial equity valuation was $20bn, while documents given to member associations put the enterprise value at “well over $30bn”.

The project was abandoned in July after opposition from UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation, who cited a lack of consultation. The dispute has prompted calls for changes to FIFA’s governance.

With Infantino seeking re-election in March, FIFA said UEFA’s court action was politically motivated.

“Just before Fifa’s election, Uefa filed this 1782 Application [and three others] spreading misinformation regarding Mr Infantino,” it said. “This court should reject any attempt to influence Fifa’s presidential election based on these grounds.”

Separately, Infantino has ordered an assessment of proposals to increase payments to national associations. UEFA and Concacaf have called for $2.1bn to be distributed from FIFA’s reserves.

In a letter to the six confederation presidents, Infantino said the issue would be considered by the FIFA Council on October 15. Any funding would be subject to financial checks and formal approval.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani have proposed that each of FIFA’s 211 member associations receive at least $10m during the 2027-30 cycle, in addition to existing development funding. Their September 18 letter also called for an independent review of FIFA’s reserves, projected at about $6bn at the end of 2026.

Infantino said the withdrawn commercial plan would have generated money beyond what FIFA could distribute from existing resources, rather than replacing that support. The Council will assess the amount, timing, safeguards, eligibility, reporting and auditing requirements for any payments.