UEFA Files Swiss Complaint Over Infantino Plan

UEFA is escalating its confrontation with FIFA President Gianni Infantino by pursuing a Swiss criminal complaint for alleged criminal mismanagement tied to the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, which aimed to privatize World Cup profits and involved Thrive Capital and Joshua Kushner. The European body has filed discovery requests in Florida and Manhattan to obtain emails, communications, and records from FIFA entities and Thrive, arguing the documents could support a Swiss case. The plan proposed selling a 20% stake for about $4.2 billion to private investors to run World Cup commercial rights, a move UEFA says was promoted at an off-market price for Infantino’s benefit. In parallel, UEFA has convened meetings in Monaco and reaffirmed a goal to reform FIFA governance and remove Infantino, while signaling that a boycott remains off the table for now. The developing legal actions come amid broader tensions between UEFA and FIFA and ongoing scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership and re-election bid. Critics, including former players, have criticized FIFA’s leadership as the probe broadens beyond private investment plans to governance and power dynamics within world football.