FIFA accuses UEFA of smear campaign against President Infantino over investment deal

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FIFA Accuses UEFA of ‘Smear Campaign’ Over Infantino Legal Threat

FIFA has accused UEFA of launching a “smear campaign” against it and President Gianni Infantino, following European football’s governing body’s threat to initiate “criminal proceedings” against the embattled FIFA leader.

Background of the Dispute

On August 27, UEFA filed a legal document in the United States—seen by The Athletic—alleging that Infantino was “promoting” a “fraudulently off-market price for his own benefit.” The allegation relates to a proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA’s commercial and event operations for $4.2 billion (£3.1 billion).

This was part of the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. If approved by FIFA’s 211 member associations, the plan would have allowed Thrive Eternal—a U.S. investment fund run by Joshua Kushner, the brother of President Trump’s son-in-law—to purchase a stake in the men’s and women’s World Cup, as well as other FIFA competitions.

UEFA’s Legal Action

UEFA requested the disclosure of documents in advance of potentially launching “criminal proceedings” against Infantino in Switzerland over the FFE plan. UEFA’s lawyers described the $4.2 billion valuation as “absurdly low” and argued it was not “the product of an open, competitive auction.”

FIFA’s Response and Court Filings

FIFA responded to UEFA’s first application on August 28, the day after the legal filings were lodged.

• The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida granted FIFA’s motion seeking approval to oppose UEFA’s request on August 31.
• FIFA has until September 28 to submit a full opposition.
• FIFA has also filed similar motions in New York and Colorado.

FIFA has asked for the granting of access to documents to be deferred, or for UEFA’s application to be opposed altogether.

In a filing lodged in New York on Tuesday and seen by The Athletic, FIFA stated:

“While these applications are styled as legal pleadings with captions and docket numbers, they are little more than press releases in further support of UEFA’s smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership.”

The filing added that this was evident from UEFA’s decision to alert the media before filing, from paragraphs supported only by references to press reports (many quoting UEFA), and from a “fundamental defect” in UEFA’s application: it seeks discovery in aid of a foreign criminal proceeding that “does not exist” and that UEFA “admittedly lacks the authority to initiate.”

Allegations of UEFA’s Motives

World football’s governing body also accused UEFA of deliberately blocking the FFE proposal. FIFA claims UEFA threatened a boycott of future FIFA competitions by all European national teams if the plan was not dropped.

“Rather than participate in that democratic process, UEFA issued a press release — the beginning of a weeks-long smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership,” the filing reads. “UEFA accused FIFA of ‘governance by intimidation’ and characterized FFE as an ‘act of coercion.’”

FIFA further alleges that UEFA’s “economic motivation” to ensure FFE did not proceed was to protect its own commercial interests.

Image: UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin (Pau Barrena / AFP via Getty Images)