UEFA Criminal Complaint Against FIFA President Gianni Infantino: What Happened?
UEFA is preparing a potential criminal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Swiss courts over a controversial plan to sell a stake in future FIFA World Cup commercial revenues to private investors.
The proposed deal was abandoned earlier this month following strong opposition from football officials. UEFA has now gone a step further by seeking documents and evidence from U.S. courts that could potentially be used in criminal proceedings in Switzerland.
Why Is UEFA Preparing a Criminal Complaint?
The dispute centres on a proposed FIFA commercial venture called FIFA Forward Enterprise.
Under the abandoned plan, private investors were expected to pay around $4.2 billion for a 20% stake in the new subsidiary, which would have controlled commercial rights connected to FIFA’s men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup.
UEFA is questioning how the proposal was developed, approved and valued.
In legal documents, UEFA lawyers said they were considering criminal proceedings against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials for alleged criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code.
These are allegations made by UEFA in legal filings and have not been established by a criminal court.
What Was the FIFA World Cup Investment Plan?
The plan involved creating a new commercial company that would hold important FIFA competition rights.
Investors, including Thrive Capital Management, founded by Joshua Kushner, were expected to become major participants in the proposed investment.
The proposed $4.2 billion investment for a 20% stake implied an overall enterprise value of roughly $20 billion, according to UEFA’s court filing. UEFA argues that the valuation was not tested through an open competitive bidding process or independent valuation.
The plan eventually collapsed after a strong backlash from football stakeholders.
Why Did the Plan Cause Controversy?
The biggest concern for UEFA was not simply the involvement of private investors. The European governing body has questioned the way the proposal was allegedly developed and approved.
According to UEFA’s court filing, the plan had reportedly been developed for more than a year but was presented to a limited group of FIFA officials shortly before it was announced.
UEFA also alleges that FIFA’s wider membership and continental confederations were not properly consulted before the proposal moved forward.
The organisation argues that the proposed arrangement could have transferred a permanent financial interest in FIFA’s most valuable commercial assets to private investors.
Why Is Joshua Kushner’s Company Involved?
One of the key names in the controversy is Joshua Kushner, founder of Thrive Capital Management.
Thrive was expected to be an anchor investor in the proposed transaction, which would have involved billions of dollars in exchange for a stake in FIFA’s commercial operations.
UEFA has therefore asked U.S. courts for access to documents and information involving Thrive that could help its potential Swiss case.
The Manhattan court filing is part of a wider effort to gather evidence before any potential criminal proceeding.
UEFA Seeks Evidence in U.S. Courts
UEFA’s legal campaign has now crossed borders.
The European governing body has requested discovery in U.S. courts involving FIFA entities and parties connected to the proposed investment.
One application was filed in Florida concerning FIFA entities based in the state, while another request involves Thrive Capital and Joshua Kushner in New York.
The purpose is to obtain potential evidence that UEFA could use in a criminal complaint in Switzerland.
When Did Gianni Infantino Abandon the Plan?
Infantino abandoned the proposed sell-off on August 1, 2026, after significant opposition from football leaders.
UEFA had already warned FIFA earlier in August against destroying or hiding documents related to the proposal.
Although the commercial plan is no longer moving forward, UEFA’s concerns have now shifted towards how the proposal was created, valued and approved.
What Does UEFA Allege Against Infantino?
UEFA’s legal documents raise several serious allegations.
The organisation questions whether the proposed investment represented fair value for FIFA and argues that the $4.2 billion price for a 20% stake may have been significantly below what the commercial assets were worth.
UEFA has also questioned the lack of an open auction or independent valuation and the speed with which the proposal allegedly moved through FIFA’s internal processes.
Importantly, these claims are allegations by UEFA, not findings of guilt.
What Could Happen to Gianni Infantino?
At this stage, UEFA is preparing for a potential legal case rather than reporting a conviction or confirmed criminal charge against Infantino.
The organisation is gathering evidence and considering proceedings in Switzerland.
If UEFA eventually files a criminal complaint, Swiss authorities would then have to determine what action, if any, should follow.
The legal process could therefore take considerable time.
FIFA’s Response
The controversy has put additional pressure on FIFA and its president.
FIFA and Thrive Capital have been approached for comment regarding UEFA’s allegations and court filings.
The dispute is particularly significant because FIFA is responsible for some of the world’s biggest sporting events, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup.
Why This Matters for World Football
The dispute goes beyond Infantino personally.
At its centre is a much bigger question: Who should control and benefit from FIFA’s most valuable commercial assets?
The World Cup generates enormous global revenue, and any attempt to transfer a permanent financial interest in those commercial rights to private investors would have major consequences for FIFA and its member associations.
UEFA’s legal challenge therefore has the potential to become one of the biggest governance disputes in international football in recent years.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus will be on the U.S. court applications and the evidence UEFA is seeking.
If UEFA obtains the documents it wants, the material could be used to support a possible criminal complaint in Switzerland.
For now, however, no final criminal judgment has been made against Infantino.
The situation remains a developing legal and football governance story.
Final Word
The UEFA criminal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino could become a major legal battle in world football.
The controversy began with FIFA’s plan to sell a stake in future World Cup commercial revenues to private investors. Although that plan has now been abandoned, UEFA is continuing to investigate how the proposal was developed and valued.
With UEFA seeking evidence through U.S. courts and considering proceedings in Switzerland, the dispute involving Infantino and FIFA is far from over.
SportsHab will continue to follow the latest UEFA, FIFA, Gianni Infantino and World Cup developments as this story unfolds.
