UEFA has threatened legal action against FIFA over Gianni Infantino’s abandoned plan to sell minority stakes in the governing body’s major competitions to private investors, further escalating the governance crisis surrounding the FIFA president.
The European governing body confirmed it is considering legal proceedings, arbitration and regulatory complaints over the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which was designed to manage FIFA’s flagship competitions, including the World Cup. UEFA has also demanded that FIFA preserve all documents and electronic communications linked to the proposal.
The English Football Association is also expected to formally withdraw its support for Infantino’s leadership, while Wales has become the first national association to publicly back away from his bid to remain FIFA president.
Under the proposal, FIFA planned to establish FFE as a commercial subsidiary and invite external investors to acquire minority, non-controlling stakes. Infantino had told all 211 FIFA member associations they could receive up to $40 million if they supported the plan, with an initial payment tied to a September 19 deadline.
According to reports, American venture capital firm, Thrive Eternal was expected to lead the investor group. UEFA’s legal notice also seeks the preservation of emails, messaging app conversations, meeting notes and financial records related to the proposal, including documents detailing the payment structure offered to member associations.
The controversy follows widespread opposition from UEFA, Concacaf and several football associations, ultimately forcing FIFA to scrap the investment plan amid mounting pressure.
Oluwagbemisola Babalola
