UEFA asks US court for FIFA documents for criminal case against Infantino

UEFA Seeks FIFA Documents in US Court for Swiss Criminal Case Against Infantino

European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, has requested assistance from a U.S. federal court to obtain documents and testimony from FIFA entities in Florida. The evidence would support a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, according to a court filing.

UEFA submitted an ex parte application on Thursday under U.S. law, stating it is considering criminal proceedings against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials and advisers. The complaint centers on a now-abandoned proposal to transfer commercial rights for the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup into a new subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

The filing alleges Infantino developed the plan in secret with a small group of advisers and investors, bypassing FIFA’s standard governance procedures. UEFA claims the proposal was not reviewed by the FIFA Council, regional confederations, or member associations, which hold authority over FIFA’s commercial rights under FIFA statutes.

According to the document, Infantino designated Thrive Eternal, an investment vehicle controlled by Joshua Kushner and affiliated with Thrive Capital, to lead an investor group. Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Former Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei was retained as a key commercial adviser, UEFA alleged.

The plan proposed selling a stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise to investors for $4.2 billion, valuing the business at approximately $20 billion. UEFA contends this valuation significantly undervalued FIFA’s commercial rights and was not subjected to an open auction or independent assessment.

UEFA’s filing seeks discovery from two Florida-based FIFA entities: FIFA (AMERICAS) Inc and FWC2026 US Inc. The organizations may possess relevant documents and witnesses regarding the conception, structure, and approval of the FFE transaction.

The proposal was unveiled on July 28 after more than a year of development, according to UEFA. Infantino faced immediate backlash, leading to a rapid reversal of the plan.

In a separate development, UEFA announced it has provisionally suspended its threat to boycott FIFA tournaments. The decision follows a meeting of European member associations in Monaco, where UEFA agreed to withdraw the boycott threat for the upcoming season. The move provides relief for Poland, which is set to host the U-20 Women’s World Cup next month.

UEFA stated the suspension remains under constant review and could be reconsidered if circumstances change. The boycott threat was widely seen as a key factor in Infantino’s decision to abandon the FFE proposal.