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UEFA file ‘criminal mismanagement’ complaint against FIFA over $4.2 billion sell-off plan
The schism at the heart of football has reached a new level with reports UEFA are preparing to file a ‘criminal mismanagement’ complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Multiple sources including the Wall Street Journal, BBC Sport, Times and Telegraph all confirm that UEFA submitted documents to court requesting access to evidence and documents for use in legal proceedings in Switzerland.
The issue remains that controversial plan to sell a 20 per cent stake in football tournaments for $4.2 billion, which the documents claim was an “absurdly low” figure.
UEFA take legal action against FIFA
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JUNE 10: Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, speaks to the media during a FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Press Conference at Mexico City Stadium on June 10, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
“In truth, it was a vehicle for Infantino and that small circle to acquire a permanent stake in and otherwise profit from FIFA’s most valuable assets to the detriment of FIFA, its members, and other parties within the football family,” states the UEFA application.
“Infantino pushed the plan through internal FIFA approval only days earlier at a hastily convened meeting where a limited number of FIFA’s management officials and employees – some of whom had never heard of the plan – were given mere hours to sign off on an unprecedented multi-billion dollar scheme.”
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JUNE 11: FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City Stadium on June 11, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Angel Delgado/Getty Images)
It went on to warn that the figure of $4.2 billion raised further questions, seeing as this was “neither the product of an open, competitive auction, nor tested by any independent valuer.”
The legal proceedings would be against both FIFA and their embattled President Infantino, who backed down on the plan to sell shares of the competitions, but is now clinging on to his job.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, ITALY – MARCH 5: Giovanni Malago, President of the Organising Committee for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, speaks during the mural inauguration ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Cortina Paralympic Village on March 05, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Linnea Rheborg/Getty Images for IPC)
Italy became the latest Federation to formally withdraw their support for Infantino’s candidacy in the next Presidential election for FIFA, releasing a statement confirming this on Wednesday.
“UEFA and other interested parties are preparing to bring criminal claims in Switzerland against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials and advisors for criminal mismanagement,” the application confirms.
“The secretive structuring, valuation, financing, and marketing inflicted direct and concrete injury on FIFA’s reputation, governance authority, and commercial relationships to the detriment of FIFA as well as its 211 members, including UEFA’s 55 member associations.”
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