UEFA has filed criminal charges against FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, over a now-abandonned scheme to sell stakes in the commercial rights to the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.
Documents obtained by BBC Sport on Thursday revealed that UEFA had requested access to evidence and documents for use in Swiss proceedings against FIFA and Infantino.
The legal action came after Infantino announced intentions on July 28, 2026, to transfer the commercial rights to the men’s and women’s World Cups, as well as the Club World Cup, to a new FIFA subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise.
According to the records, the suggestion was made without consulting the FIFA Council, UEFA, other confederations, or any of FIFA’s 211 member associations.
The application stated, “On July 28, 2026, without consulting the FIFA Council, UEFA, or any of the other confederations or any of the 211 FIFA member associations, Infantino, purportedly acting on behalf of FIFA, publicly announced a plan to place the commercial rights to the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup into a new subsidiary: FIFA Forward Enterprise.”
It also alleged that the announcement was the public unveiling of a plan developed secretly by Infantino and a small group of associates for more than a year.
“That announcement by Infantino was the public unveiling of a plan that he and a small circle of co-conspirators had conceived and reportedly been developing in secret for more than a year,” the application said.
The proposed investment structure has now been canceled, but UEFA’s legal action may increase scrutiny of FIFA’s governance and management of the economic rights to its big tournaments.
The proceedings are being conducted in Switzerland, where FIFA is headquartered.
UEFA wants access to documents and other material that it believes may be relevant to the proceedings against FIFA and Infantino.
