UEFA to File Criminal Complaint Against Infantino

UEFA is preparing to file a criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, following a failed plan to sell a stake in future commercial rights for the World Cup to private investors, amid allegations of 'criminal mismanagement.'

In a new escalation of the crisis, UEFA has today filed requests in courts in the United States for documents and information related to the project, in preparation for potential legal proceedings before the Swiss judiciary.

UEFA has asked a court in Manhattan for evidence and documents from the American investment firm Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner. Additionally, it has filed a request in a Florida court for documents from FIFA-affiliated institutions.

Infantino's plan, known as "FIFA Forward Enterprise," aims to sell a 20% stake in a new commercial entity that will manage the commercial rights of FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, for approximately $4.2 billion.

UEFA believes that the proposed deal's value was unreasonably low, as selling 20% for $4.2 billion would imply a total valuation of the entity at around $20 billion only, considering that this valuation did not undergo a competitive auction or independent assessment.

According to legal documents spanning 56 pages, UEFA is considering bringing charges against Infantino and other FIFA officials under Article 158 of the Swiss Penal Code concerning criminal mismanagement. The European governing body also indicates that the plan may have granted Infantino and a close circle of associates a permanent financial benefit from FIFA's most important assets.

Gianni Infantino had backed down from the project on August 1 after a wave of outrage within global football, while UEFA intensified its pressure and demanded the preservation of all documents and correspondence related to the project and the non-destruction of any potential evidence.

This move comes at a time when the relationship between UEFA and FIFA is facing an unprecedented crisis, as the European federation asserts that the governance file within FIFA remains open, despite the official abandonment of the project to sell a stake in commercial rights.