Key Takeaways
- FIFA has accused UEFA of a 'smear campaign' over its World Cup investor plan.
- UEFA has filed requests in three US states to access FIFA documents related to the plan.
- FIFA argues that UEFA lacks legal standing to demand internal documents.
FIFA has accused UEFA of conducting a 'smear campaign' and a 'fishing expedition' in response to UEFA's request for documents related to FIFA's failed World Cup investor plan.
The plan, unveiled in July, aimed to sell stakes in the World Cup to investors and faced significant backlash, leading UEFA to threaten a boycott of the World Cup.
In response, FIFA quickly abandoned the plan, but UEFA is now preparing to take legal action against FIFA president Gianni Infantino for alleged 'criminal mismanagement'.
UEFA filed requests in three US states to gain access to documents from FIFA and its partners, including prospective lead investor Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital firm.
FIFA has contested these requests, arguing that UEFA does not have the right to demand internal documents because no criminal proceedings exist in Switzerland or elsewhere.
FIFA also claims that UEFA is illegally bypassing Swiss courts and applying directly to US courts, which FIFA argues would reveal sensitive and proprietary information.
UEFA has made no secret of its desire to remove Infantino, who had hoped to be re-elected unopposed for a fourth term next March.
UEFA has found support from North and Central America’s CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), with CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani seen as the likely challenger to Infantino.
The three confederations have collaborated on a joint letter, stating that 'leadership in football is not a possession' and that FIFA should be governed as an institution serving football, not as an instrument of individual power.
