The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has filed a petition with a US federal court seeking permission to gather testimony and documents from FIFA entities in Florida, in preparation for a planned criminal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Switzerland, according to court filings.
In the petition, filed under US law, UEFA said it is considering criminal proceedings against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials and advisers involved in an abandoned plan to transfer commercial rights tied to the men's, women's, and Club World Cups to a new subsidiary named FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
“UEFA is actively considering legal action arising from and in connection with the plan proposed by FIFA,” the legal filing at the Florida court states, according to AFP.
“In particular, UEFA and other interested parties are preparing to file a criminal complaint in Switzerland against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials and advisers for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code.”
UEFA alleges that Infantino developed the plan secretly with a small group of advisers and investors, bypassing FIFA's normal governance procedures and failing to consult the FIFA Council, regional confederations, or member associations.
The petition asks the US court to allow evidence collection from two FIFA entities based in Florida: FIFA (AMERICAS), Inc. and FWC2026 US, Inc. UEFA contends these organizations may hold documents and witnesses relevant to how the FFE deal was conceived, structured, valued, and approved.
