In the legal corridors linking Zurich, Florida and the next FIFA presidential contest, football’s governing body has accused UEFA of mounting a disinformation drive over Gianni Infantino’s abandoned World Cup commercial-rights proposal. FIFA has asked a US court to reject UEFA’s request for material connected to the plan, arguing that the European confederation is seeking to shape the political climate before next year’s election.
A Florida case with Swiss consequences
UEFA applied last month to a federal court in the United States for permission to obtain documents and witness evidence for a criminal complaint it intends to bring in Switzerland against the FIFA president.
- The proposed complaint concerns a plan to move the World Cup’s commercial rights into a FIFA subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, known as FFE.
- The project, which had contemplated the sale of interests linked to the tournament, was ultimately dropped.
- FIFA has now filed its response with the Florida court, seeking dismissal of UEFA’s application for access to the requested evidence.
The dispute has moved beyond the technical question of document disclosure. FIFA’s filing says UEFA’s submission contains numerous inaccurate or misleading assertions concerning both the organisation and Infantino.
FIFA rejects suggestion of personal gain
At the centre of FIFA’s objection is UEFA’s suggestion that Infantino could have personally benefited from the FFE proposal. FIFA said that allegation had been made without any supporting basis.
“UEFA’s implication that Infantino intended to secure a personal advantage from the FFE proposal is wholly unfounded,” FIFA said in its court response. It also insisted that claims of legal or ethical wrongdoing by its president have no foundation.
Election backdrop
FIFA argues that the European body’s intervention cannot be separated from the coming presidential vote. The governing body believes UEFA is attempting to influence the election due to take place next year.
- Infantino is seeking to remain in office.
- He is currently the only candidate for the FIFA presidency.
- FIFA maintains that the US evidence request is part of a wider effort to affect that contest.
