Key facts
- UEFA is threatening legal action against FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Joshua Kushner.
- The legal action stems from a proposed plan to sell a stake in World Cup commercial operations to private investors.
- UEFA cited concerns about proper governance and potential spoliation of evidence in its legal threat.
- The plan, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), was withdrawn by Infantino.
- UEFA had previously opposed the plan and threatened boycotts if it proceeded.
UEFA has threatened FIFA with legal action over President Gianni Infantino's withdrawn plan to sell a stake in future World Cup commercial operations to private investors. The European soccer body's lawyers sent a letter to FIFA, warning that any destruction of potential evidence related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan could be considered spoliation.
The FFE proposal, which aimed to create a $20 billion company and allow investors to acquire a 20% stake in commercial operations, was scrapped early Saturday following widespread backlash. UEFA had been a vocal opponent, arguing the plan lacked proper consultation and constituted privatization, and had threatened to boycott FIFA events.
Infantino's plan offered FIFA's 211 member federations one-off payments of $20 million each. However, it drew criticism from various soccer bodies, including the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, though Infantino reportedly retained support from African and South American federations. The withdrawal of the plan has significantly impacted Infantino's standing, potentially jeopardizing his re-election prospects.
The European Commission is also reportedly investigating the FFE plan for potential competition law violations. UEFA's legal letter specifically named 18 FIFA executives who should preserve relevant data and communications.