European football's governing body is seeking evidence in U.S. courts as it weighs a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over an abandoned plan to sell a multibillion-dollar stake in the governing body's commercial rights.
UEFA filed a 60-page application in a Manhattan federal court seeking testimony and documents related to FIFA Forward Enterprise, a proposed subsidiary that would have managed commercial rights connected to the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup.
According to court filings cited by Reuters and ESPN, UEFA is considering criminal proceedings against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials and advisers under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code, which covers alleged financial mismanagement.
The proposed transaction called for investors to pay about $4.2 billion for a 20% stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise, which UEFA argues substantially undervalued FIFA's commercial rights.
The European governing body alleges that Infantino and a small group of advisers and investors developed the proposal over more than a year without consulting FIFA's Council, the six continental confederations or FIFA's 211 member associations.
UEFA is seeking evidence from FIFA entities based in Florida, including FIFA (AMERICAS), Inc. and FWC2026 US, Inc., which it says may hold documents and witnesses relevant to how the proposed transaction was developed, structured, valued and approved.
The filing also names Thrive Eternal, an investment vehicle controlled by Joshua Kushner and affiliated with Thrive Capital, as the proposed lead investor. Kushner was part of a group that recently agreed to acquire the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers for $12.5 billion.
UEFA alleges the investment group would have received a permanent financial interest in FIFA's commercial arm.
The organization also claims the proposed valuation was never subjected to an open bidding process or independently assessed, raising questions about whether FIFA's commercial rights were being transferred at a significantly discounted price.
Reuters reported that it contacted FIFA and Thrive Capital for comment.
Infantino previously described FIFA Forward Enterprise as a "golden opportunity" to increase funding for football development worldwide. He said the proposal was only a plan and would have required majority approval from FIFA's 211 member associations as well as authorization from the FIFA Council.
FIFA withdrew the proposal July 31 after it triggered a major backlash among European federations and other parts of the football community.
UEFA has continued to challenge the circumstances surrounding the proposal despite its withdrawal.
The organization said its 55 member associations unanimously agreed at an emergency meeting July 30 that they would not participate in FIFA competitions, potentially including the World Cup, unless the plan was abandoned.
UEFA subsequently suspended the boycott threat after FIFA provided written assurances that the project had been "irrevocably and permanently withdrawn."
That decision cleared the way for European teams to participate in FIFA competitions, including next month's Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland, which could have been the first major tournament affected by the dispute.
But UEFA said the withdrawal did not end its concerns.
Its members have unanimously instructed the confederation to pursue "every available institutional, political and legal avenue" to push for reforms and place greater limits on the FIFA president's authority.
UEFA is also demanding an independent external investigation into the failed project, arguing that FIFA should not be responsible for investigating itself.
The European body has questioned why FIFA needed outside investors when it already has billions of dollars in reserves.
"FIFA has currently billions of dollars in reserves. This money belongs to the Member Associations," UEFA said. "The question is therefore why the FIFA President believed he needed outside investors to expand development funding."
The legal filing also alleges that FIFA employees complained internally that they had been "deceived" during the development of the proposal and that FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom was excluded from parts of the drafting process.
UEFA argues that FIFA's statutes give the FIFA Council authority over decisions concerning the promotion and exploitation of the organization's commercial rights.
The dispute has added another challenge for Infantino, who is seeking to extend his leadership of world football.
Infantino is currently serving his second term as FIFA president and has said he intends to seek another term in an election scheduled for March 2027. A successful bid would give him a fourth term under FIFA's current term limits.
UEFA has called for Infantino to resign, while CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation have also joined calls for changes in FIFA's leadership.
UEFA has warned that it could actively support an alternative candidate if Infantino seeks another mandate.
"Should the current FIFA president nevertheless seek another mandate, UEFA will join forces with its partner confederations to ensure that member associations are offered a credible alternative," UEFA said, describing its preferred leadership as one committed to "integrity, accountability, development and genuine institutional change."
Infantino continues to have significant support elsewhere in world football.
The African and South American confederations remain supportive of his leadership, while the Saudi Arabian Football Federation also backed him Thursday.
"At this time, SAFF supports the continued efforts of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA's leadership to restore unity across the football family and continue growing the game for the benefit of all," the federation said.
