FIFA accuses UEFA of election misinformation

FIFA on Monday asked a Florida federal court to reject UEFA's discovery request. Last month UEFA sought testimony and documents from FIFA (AMERICAS), Inc. and FWC2026 US, Inc. for a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA president Gianni Infantino over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal to place World Cup commercial rights in a subsidiary. The project was dropped in July after opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation. Last week Infantino wrote to all 211 member associations proposing an independent review of FIFA decision-making. He is the only candidate in the presidential election set for March. FIFA said UEFA's brief contained numerous false or misleading statements. It stated that with no basis whatsoever UEFA suggests Infantino sought to profit personally, that the FFE plan required approval and oversight by the member associations and FIFA Council, and that claims he violated any law or ethical principle are categorically without merit. UEFA said investors would have paid $4.2 billion for a stake valuing FFE at about $20 billion, that the figure undervalued the rights, and that the plan was developed in secret without normal consultation. FIFA replied that UEFA conflates equity value with enterprise value, that the initial equity valuation was $20 billion while enterprise value was well over $30 billion and far above what UEFA calls fair, and that UEFA filed this 1782 application and three others spreading misinformation regarding Infantino just before the election. FIFA asked the court to reject any attempt to influence that election on those grounds.