European governing body UEFA is evaluating criminal proceedings in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over an aborted project to sell commercial rights for the World Cup.
The European football organization is gathering evidence surrounding Infantino's failed FIFA Forward Enterprise venture, which sought to bring private investment into the commercial management of the tournament. Legal representatives for UEFA indicated that the case could be brought before Swiss courts under allegations of criminal financial mismanagement.
Details of the legal strategy emerged after British newspaper The Telegraph published extracts from a document submitted by UEFA to a court in Manhattan. The filing was made to obtain potential evidence from investment fund Thrive Capital Management, which was intended to serve as an anchor investor in the initiative.
According to the court document, the 4.2 billion sum that FIFA was set to receive in exchange for a 20 percent share of World Cup commercial rights may have represented a fraudulent price outside normal market conditions, promoted by Infantino for his personal benefit.
In the legal filing, UEFA attorneys stated that the organization and its legal advisers are weighing criminal proceedings in Switzerland against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials. The potential charges center on criminal financial mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code.
Loss of Confederation Support
The legal action follows a major political rupture within international football administration. After controversy erupted over the attempt to commercialize World Cup rights, UEFA joined forces with the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf to issue a joint statement calling for Infantino to step down and demanding structural changes at FIFA.
In their joint declaration, the three regional confederations stated that when trust is broken through deceit and an individual places themselves above the collective authority, that duty has been abandoned. The confederations added that FIFA leadership failed to recognize that the proposal itself was intrinsically wrong from the outset.
The joint statement further expressed that attempting to sell a financial stake in the FIFA World Cup was a grave error of judgment rather than a simple procedural failure. The groups described the proposal as a fundamental betrayal of trust placed in the institutions FIFA is intended to serve.
Elections and Governance Context
Infantino faces a difficult landscape as he seeks re-election as FIFA president in March 2027. Member federations including England, Wales and Italy have already withdrawn their support for his candidacy ahead of the upcoming vote.
FIFA, based in Zurich, Switzerland, is the global governing body for association football and manages major international tournaments including the World Cup. UEFA represents 55 European national associations, while Concacaf governs football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, and the AFC oversees the sport across Asia.
International sports governing bodies headquartered in Switzerland operate under Swiss legal jurisdiction. Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code governs offenses related to criminal mismanagement, applying to corporate directors and executives who breach their duty to safeguard financial assets.
Next Steps in Swiss Courts
UEFA legal teams continue to review evidence gathered from the Manhattan court petition to determine whether to file formal charges in Switzerland. The outcome could reshape FIFA leadership ahead of the March 2027 presidential elections.
