Why UEFA is considering criminal case against Gianni Infantino over World Cup sell-off plan

Gianni Infantino's doomed plan to secure outside investment in the FIFA World Cup continues to cause huge unrest within soccer.

The FIFA president proposed plans to establish a new private company, called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), through which major competitions such as the men's and women's World Cups would operate. The proposal generated such opposition that it was shelved three days after The Times first reported on the story.

However, the antipathy towards Infantino and his attempt to rush through the idea has only continued. UEFA, European soccer's governing body, has been the most vocal in terms of opposition to the FIFA president and has led a charge to have him replaced.

Now, according to reports both in The Times and The Mail, UEFA is even considering legal action against Infantino over his failed sell-off plan.

MORE: Infantino's FIFA presidency, from promise of clean-up to World Cup controversies

Why UEFA is considering criminal case against Gianni Infantino

According to Martyn Ziegler of The Times, whose initial scoop laid bare the World Cup private investment plans, UEFA has submitted court filings suggesting it could pursue legal action against Infantino.

The documents reportedly argue that Infantino, along with "possibly other FIFA officials", may have committed "criminal mismanagement" in their attempts to establish FFE. UEFA's legal team argues that a proposed price of $4.2 billion for a 20 per cent stake in FIFA tournaments was "absurdly low" and "was neither the product of an open, competitive auction, nor tested by any independent valuer".

"On information and belief, Infantino's actions described herein rise to the level of criminal mismanagement," the court documents reportedly state, adding: "Swiss law does not require UEFA or its member associations to demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits before the criminal proceeding is brought."

The filings are also said to request a court order to disclose all documents and data concerning Joshua Kushner's Thrive Capital and its involvement with FFE. Kushner, the brother of U.S. president Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared, had been identified as the leading potential investor in Infantino's private investment plan. 

What has Gianni Infantino said?

Neither Infantino nor FIFA responded to the story as of publication on August 27.

FIFA shelved the FFE plan officially on August 1, accepting that "the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place."

A week later, a FIFA statement hit out at "unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims concerning FIFA and its president" as criticism of Infantino intensified.

"FIFA welcomes legitimate scrutiny. But scrutiny is not a licence to distort facts, amplify unsubstantiated allegations or manufacture distractions designed to undermine progress. Where reporting is inaccurate or misleading, FIFA will challenge it directly and vigorously," it said.

Is Gianni Infantino still FIFA president?

Infantino is still FIFA president. There are planned elections on March 18, 2027, at the 77th FIFA Congress, at which it is now expected Infantino will face at least one challenger to his position.

Infantino was first elected in February 2016 and was re-elected unopposed three years later, initially until 2023. However, the FIFA Council ruled that the first three years of his term did not count towards the 12-year limit imposed on the role, thereby allowing him to run potentially until 2031.