The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has formally accused the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) of launching a “smear campaign” and conducting a “fishing expedition” against the world governing body and its president, Gianni Infantino.
The dispute stems from FIFA’s now-abandoned plan to sell a stake in its commercial rights through an entity known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). In response, UEFA filed an ex parte application with the US District Court in New York, seeking testimony and documents from American-based entities to support potential criminal proceedings in Switzerland, where both organizations are headquartered.
In documents reviewed by Reuters, FIFA characterized the application as little more than press releases designed to bolster UEFA’s campaign against FIFA’s leadership. FIFA argued that UEFA attempted to sabotage the proposal to preserve the existing dominance of European football.
UEFA has criticized the FFE plan, stating it was developed without adequate consultation with FIFA’s 211 member associations or its own governing bodies. The confederation had previously threatened to boycott the FIFA World Cup—both the men’s and women’s tournaments—should the commercial move proceed.
The controversy has significantly escalated pressure on Infantino, who is seeking a fourth term as president in March 2027. Several nations have indicated they will not support his reelection, and two additional continental confederations, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), have called for his resignation. Only the South American and African confederations continue to back the Swiss-born leader.
UEFA has also demanded a “genuinely independent external review” of how the proposal was handled, asserting that “FIFA cannot investigate itself and expect the football community to simply accept its conclusions.”
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