Fifa counters Uefa’s legal challenge over World Cup stake sale
The global governing body has accused its European counterpart of a "smear campaign" in a US court filing, arguing that the scrapped Fifa Forward Enterprise was merely a proposal pending democratic approval.
Fifa has formally accused Uefa of launching a "smear campaign" against its leadership in a legal dispute concerning the abandoned plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors. The conflict has escalated into a US court battle, with both governing bodies trading allegations over the governance and valuation of the football world’s most lucrative tournament.
Uefa recently filed legal papers in the United States requesting the disclosure of evidence and documents from Fifa. These filings form part of potential criminal claims in Switzerland, in which Uefa alleges "criminal mismanagement" and fraud by Fifa president Gianni Infantino. The European body claims that the World Cup was deliberately undervalued at approximately £15bn, a figure it argues was neither the product of an open, competitive auction nor tested by an independent valuer.
In response, Fifa lodged court filings in the US requesting that permission for access to documents be deferred or opposed by the end of the month. The global governing body contends that Uefa’s argument suffers from a "fundamental defect" because the foreign criminal proceeding it references does not yet exist. Fifa argues that Uefa admittedly lacks the authority to initiate such proceedings, yet seeks sweeping discovery regarding the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme.
Fifa maintains that the creation of the FFE was "only a proposal" that could only proceed with the majority support of member associations and the relevant approvals of the Fifa Council. According to the court filing, Uefa bypassed this democratic process by issuing a press release, which Fifa describes as the beginning of a weeks-long campaign against its leadership. Fifa also claims Uefa’s "economic motivation" is to prevent smaller nations from gaining the financial strength to compete with the European elite, thereby reducing Uefa’s market power.
The dispute centres on a proposed $4.2bn investment by venture capitalist Joshua Kushner, which was abandoned after significant backlash from member associations. Uefa has requested testimony and documents from Kushner, as well as from American financier Greg Maffei, who was a key adviser on the deal. Although neither is anticipated to be a defendant, Uefa’s lawyers argue that Infantino discussed the underlying concept with Kushner for nearly a year before the terms sheet was signed.
Uefa has declined to comment on the latest filings, though insiders believe that if Fifa has nothing to hide, it should disclose the documents and speed up the legal process. The European body has led the rebellion against Infantino, who faces calls to stand down from three confederations. Kushner recently expressed regret over the FFE, stating that while he stood behind its motivations, the parties failed to appreciate the political dynamics of global football.
