UEFA Asks US Court for Documents Amid Criminal Charges Against Infantino

European football's governing body has turned to a US federal court seeking permission to pull testimony and documents from FIFA entities in Florida. This move supports a planned criminal complaint lodged in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The request comes after UEFA decided it is considering making a criminal charge over World Cup selloff plans that have since been abandoned.

A legal document filed under US law outlines the situation clearly. European football's governing body stated it is looking at criminal proceedings targeting Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials and advisers. These charges relate to a now-defunct plan to transfer commercial rights linked to men's and women's World Cups, plus the Club World Cup, into a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

According to AFP news agency reports, the filing read: "UEFA is actively considering legal action arising out of and in connection with the … plan proposed by FIFA." The text went on to specify that UEFA and other interested parties are preparing to bring criminal claims in Switzerland. They aim to charge Infantino and possibly others for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code.

The allegations claim Infantino developed the proposal in secret with a small group of advisers and investors. This bypassed FIFA's normal governance processes entirely. The filing notes a failure to consult the FIFA Council, regional confederations or member associations during the planning stages.

The court application specifically asks for discovery from two Florida-based FIFA entities: FIFA (AMERICAS), Inc. and FWC2026 US, Inc. UEFA argues these organizations may possess documents and witnesses relevant to how the FFE transaction was conceived, structured, valued and approved.