The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has strongly pushed back against the European governing body, accusing UEFA of coordinating a deliberate “smear campaign” amid an escalating legal battle over a stalled economic initiative. According to documents filed by FIFA to contest European legal requests and reviewed by AFP, world football’s governing body criticized the latest actions taken by its continental counterpart.
FIFA Files Contest Legal Inquiries in the United States
The latest flashpoint in the ongoing friction between world and European football governance centers on cross-border legal maneuvers. Last week, UEFA filed formal applications across three separate U.S. states seeking internal records and documents related to the stalled project and its prospective financial backers, including Thrive Capital—the investment firm owned by American investor Joshua Kushner that was slated to play a key role in the initiative.
Rather than treating the filings as standard legal proceedings, FIFA’s legal team blasted the requests. According to documents submitted by FIFA to block the inquiries, the applications filed by European football’s governing body “are guère plus que des communiqués de presse” (are little more than press releases) designed primarily to fuel a sustained public relations assault against FIFA and its executive leadership.
The Stalled Commercial Project and Leadership Strakes
The controversial commercial framework—which was unveiled in July and received heavy backing from FIFA President Gianni Infantino—sparked widespread pushback across the global game, most notably from UEFA. The proposal aimed to open up the World Cup to private investment partnerships.
Faced with intense resistance and a growing rebellion across the international football community, FIFA ultimately stepped backward to defuse the controversy. However, the détente was short-lived. UEFA has prepared a formal lawsuit against Infantino alleging “gestion déloyale” (unfair management).
With the evidence gathered from U.S. courts, European officials previously stated an intention to bring a complaint under Swiss jurisdiction, asserting the case meets the threshold required for trial in Switzerland. FIFA countered in its court filings that UEFA has bypassed Swiss courts improperly by rushing directly to American tribunals.
Confidentiality Concerns and Legal Standing
Beyond procedural objections, FIFA’s legal filings argue that UEFA lacks any legal standing to demand internal files. According to the documents reviewed by AFP, FIFA contends that European football administrators possess no right to compel the release of internal records because no formal criminal investigation has been initiated. Furthermore, FIFA asserts that even if an investigation existed, UEFA has suffered no direct financial injury as a result of the project.
The international federation warned that handing over internal correspondence involving Infantino, key staff members, and named advisers would jeopardize organizational interests. Releasing such material, according to FIFA’s legal filing, “menacerait directement les intérêts de la FIFA” (would directly threaten FIFA’s interests) by exposing sensitive and confidential operational details.
UEFA has maintained a sharply critical stance since the initiative came to light, characterizing the proposal as a mechanism designed to let Infantino and a select circle of associates acquire permanent stakes in FIFA’s most lucrative assets for private gain, to the detriment of FIFA, its members and the broader football community.
What Comes Next
The immediate battleground remains in the U.S. court system, where judges must weigh FIFA’s motion to set aside UEFA’s discovery requests. Meanwhile, Gianni Infantino faces an upcoming electoral milestone, with the FIFA president seeking a fourth and final term in March.
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