FIFA Accuses UEFA of ‘Misinformation Campaign’ Over Infantino Election
FIFA has accused UEFA of running a “misinformation campaign” and trying to influence the upcoming FIFA presidential election through its legal action over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project.
The latest development comes after UEFA asked a US federal court to obtain documents and evidence from FIFA linked to the controversial investment proposal. UEFA has also warned that the information could be used in a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland concerning FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
In a filing before the Southern District of Florida, FIFA rejected UEFA’s allegations and described several claims in UEFA’s application as false or misleading. FIFA also argued that UEFA’s request for documents was excessively broad and made in bad faith.
FIFA Rejects UEFA Allegations Against Infantino
FIFA strongly denied UEFA’s suggestion that Infantino personally sought to benefit from the FFE proposal.
According to FIFA’s court filing, the project would have required approval from FIFA’s member associations and the FIFA Council. FIFA said UEFA’s claims that Infantino breached any law or ethical principle were without merit.
FIFA also accused UEFA of using the legal process to create pressure around Infantino ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027.
UEFA has not commented on the latest FIFA filing, according to Reuters.
What Is the FIFA Forward Enterprise Plan?
The dispute centres on the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise, or FFE.
The proposal involved transferring commercial rights connected to FIFA competitions, including World Cup-related rights, into a new structure that could include investment from private investors.
The plan was intended to generate additional money for football development, according to Infantino. However, the proposal faced strong opposition from several continental confederations, including UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF.
The project was eventually withdrawn in July 2026 following the backlash.
UEFA Questions the FFE Valuation
One of the major disagreements between FIFA and UEFA concerns the financial valuation of FFE.
UEFA argued in its legal filing that investors would have paid around $4.2 billion for a stake in FFE, with the project valued at approximately $20 billion. UEFA questioned whether FIFA’s commercial rights had been properly valued and argued that the process had not been subject to an open auction or independent valuation.
FIFA disputed that interpretation.
In its response, FIFA said UEFA was confusing the project’s equity value with its enterprise value. FIFA stated that the initial equity valuation was $20 billion, while the total enterprise value was more than $30 billion.
The valuation dispute is now part of the wider legal and governance battle between the two football organisations.
Why UEFA Went to a US Court
UEFA’s legal action in the United States is connected to its efforts to obtain documents and testimony relating to FFE.
UEFA asked a US federal court for permission to obtain information from FIFA-related entities based in Florida. It said the material could be used in connection with a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland.
FIFA has asked the court to reject UEFA’s discovery request, arguing that the application contains misleading claims and is too broad.
The legal dispute therefore goes beyond the original investmentproposal and has become part of a much wider disagreement over FIFA’s governance and decision-making.
FIFA Presidential Election Adds Another Dimension
The dispute comes just months before the next FIFA presidential election.
Gianni Infantino is expected to seek a fourth term as FIFA president in March 2027. The latest FIFA filing directly linked UEFA’s legal action to the upcoming election, alleging that UEFA was attempting to influence the presidential race.
UEFA has been among the strongest opponents of the FFE proposal and has also pushed for changes to FIFA’s governance.
In recent weeks, tensions between FIFA and European football authorities have continued to grow. European football leaders have called for greater transparency and changes to FIFA’s decision-making structure following the collapse of the investment plan.
Infantino Faces Continued Pressure Over FFE
The FFE controversy has created significant pressure around Infantino’s leadership.
Earlier in September, Infantino proposed an independent review of FIFA’s governance framework and consultations with member associations and other stakeholders. The review would examine decision-making around major strategic initiatives.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has continued to express concerns about FIFA’s governance following the collapse of the investment proposal.
At the same time, FIFA has maintained that the FFE plan was designed to generate additional resources for football rather than replace existing development funding.
FIFA and UEFA Dispute Continues
The latest court filing shows that the disagreement between FIFA and UEFA remains unresolved.
FIFA says UEFA’s allegations about Infantino and the FFE proposal are inaccurate and that its legal request should be rejected. UEFA, meanwhile, has sought access to documents that it believes could help clarify how the investment proposal was developed and valued.
The court will now have to consider the competing arguments over UEFA’s request for discovery.
The dispute is also unfolding ahead of the March 2027 FIFA presidential election, making the legal battle an important part of the wider conflict over FIFA’s governance and leadership.
