UEFA has initiated criminal legal proceedings against FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, over a controversial proposal to transfer commercial rights to major FIFA competitions to private investors.
Documents obtained by BBC Sport on Thursday revealed that UEFA had applied to obtain evidence and documents it considers relevant to proceedings being pursued in Switzerland against FIFA and Infantino.
The move stems from Infantino’s July 28, 2026 announcement of plans 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.
UEFA’s application alleged that the proposal was unveiled without prior consultation with the FIFA Council, UEFA, other continental confederations or any of FIFA’s 211 member associations.
“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.”
The filing further alleged that the announcement was the culmination of a plan allegedly developed in secret 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.
Although the proposed investment arrangement has since been abandoned, UEFA’s legal action could increase scrutiny of FIFA’s governance and the administration of the commercial rights attached to its biggest competitions.
The proceedings are being handled in Switzerland, where FIFA is headquartered, with UEFA seeking access to documents and other evidence it believes may be pertinent to the case.
