The International Association Football Federation, known as FIFA, has asked courts in the United States to block the Union of European Football Associations from obtaining confidential records linked to a scrapped private investment plan.
FIFA accused its European counterpart of mounting a defamation campaign designed to damage the reputation of the global governing body and its leadership.
The dispute escalated after UEFA filed legal petitions across three American states last week, seeking access to internal files detailing how FIFA prepared the investment project, as well as information on potential financial partners.
Among the investors named in the legal filings is Thrive Capital, the American venture capital firm founded by investor Joshua Kushner, who is described as having played a significant role in discussions surrounding the venture.
Legal Battle Across Jurisdictions
UEFA aims to gather the American evidentiary material to build a legal case under Swiss law. The European body considers that sufficient legal grounds exist to bring the matter before courts in Switzerland, where both organizations maintain their international headquarters.
FIFA, which governs world football from its headquarters in Zurich, and UEFA, which manages European football from Nyon, have long operated as the two most powerful institutional entities in the sport. FIFA oversees global tournaments and member associations worldwide, while UEFA represents Europe's national associations and club competitions.
In its filings to American judges, FIFA argued that UEFA cannot demand the disclosure of internal and confidential documentation without an ongoing criminal investigation.
The global body also questioned UEFA's legal standing to request the records, contending that the European organisation suffered no financial damage from a plan that was never executed.
FIFA further accused UEFA of attempting to bypass standard Swiss judicial procedure by seeking discovery through American courts first before initiating proceedings in Switzerland.
Confidential Messages and Leadership Concerns
A central concern raised by FIFA involves the potential public exposure of internal correspondence. The documents sought by UEFA include exchanges between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and various federation executives and advisers.
Infantino, a Swiss-Italian administrator, has served as the president of FIFA since 2016. He previously worked as UEFA's general secretary before taking the top job at global football's governing body.
FIFA asserted that the correspondence contains sensitive information and warned that releasing the material publicly would cause direct harm to its commercial and organizational interests.
The controversy stems from a proposal introduced in July that sought to attract private investment into FIFA assets. Infantino strongly backed the initiative from its inception, viewing it as a vehicle for commercial expansion.
However, the proposal faced immediate opposition from figures within international football, with UEFA emerging as one of its fiercest critics. In response to mounting resistance and rising tensions between the two bodies, FIFA formally abandoned the project.
Long-Term Financial Stakes
Despite the withdrawal of the plan, UEFA has refused to drop its legal pursuit. The European confederation maintains that the proposed transaction would have established conditions allowing Infantino and a small group of associates, including Kushner, to acquire long-term financial interests in key FIFA assets.
According to UEFA's position, such an arrangement threatened to offer benefits to that specific circle of individuals at the direct expense of FIFA itself, its member national associations, and other global football organizations.
The legal confrontation unfolds ahead of a critical political milestone for world football. FIFA is scheduled to hold its next presidential election in March 2027, where Infantino is expected to stand for a fourth and final term at the head of the global federation.
