The world football governing body, FIFA, has accused UEFA of conducting a “smear campaign” against its president, Gianni Infantino, as the two governing bodies become embroiled in a legal dispute over an abandoned plan to sell part of the World Cup operation to private investors.
UEFA filed legal applications in US courts in late August seeking evidence connected to the controversial proposal. The European governing body has also warned that it is considering pursuing criminal proceedings against Infantino in Switzerland.
FIFA Hits Back
Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium – February 12, 2026 UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and FIFA president Gianni Infantino pose for a photograph (Credit: Reuters)
In a response filed in a New York court, FIFA strongly rejected UEFA’s claims, accusing the organisation of using legal proceedings as part of a wider campaign against Infantino and FIFA’s leadership.
“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,” FIFA stated in its court filing.
FIFA’s legal team also challenged the basis of UEFA’s request for evidence, arguing that the European body was seeking information to support a foreign criminal proceeding that does not currently exist.
“UEFA’s application suffers from a fundamental defect,” FIFA’s lawyers argued, adding that UEFA “seeks discovery in aid of a foreign criminal proceeding that does not exist.”
Dispute Over $20bn World Cup Venture
Gianni Infantino and his cabinet have been faced with heavy criticisms following proposal to sell 20% of its stakes to private individuals
At the centre of the dispute is a proposed $20 billion FIFA subsidiary that would have allowed private investors to acquire a stake in part of the organisation’s World Cup-related commercial operations.
The proposal has faced criticism from within FIFA itself. Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino, previously described the venture as a “bad deal” for football when announcing his departure from the role.
However, reports indicate that plans for the investment scheme had already advanced significantly, with sources reporting that FIFA had been preparing to receive up to $4.2 billion (£3.1bn) from private investors as early as October.
The dispute comes at a politically sensitive time for Infantino, with UEFA reportedly seeking to pressure him into resigning or challenging his position at FIFA’s presidential election in March.
The escalating legal battle could therefore have significant implications for the future leadership and commercial direction of world football.
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