FIFA has rejected allegations by UEFA over Gianni Infantino’s abandoned plan to bring private investment into the commercial operations of the World Cup and other major tournaments.
The dispute has emerged in a court case in Florida, where UEFA is seeking access to documents concerning the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative.
FIFA accused UEFA of making false or misleading claims about the plan and said the European governing body’s legal action was also aimed at influencing next year’s FIFA presidential election.
Infantino’s proposal, announced in July, involved creating a commercial subsidiary through which private investors could acquire stakes in a company responsible for major FIFA events, including the World Cup and Club World Cup.
The proposal was shelved following widespread opposition.
UEFA has emerged as one of the strongest opponents of Infantino and has called for his removal. FIFA, however, said UEFA’s claims that Infantino sought to personally benefit from the initiative were misleading.
Infantino was confirmed earlier this month as a candidate for another term as FIFA president, with the election scheduled for March 2027.
The FIFA president has since indicated that member associations could receive additional funding from the organisation’s reserves.
He has maintained that the abandoned commercial proposal was designed to generate additional revenue for investment in football.
Infantino continues to have support from several major football bodies, including the Confederation of African Football and South American football’s governing body CONMEBOL. Saudi Arabia, host of the 2034 World Cup, has also backed him.
Discussion0