FIFA challenges UEFA in court as Infantino reviews $2.1bn funding plan

FIFA’s dispute with UEFA has intensified on two fronts, with the governing body rejecting allegations about its abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal in a US court filing as president Gianni Infantino assesses demands for a $2.1 billion payout to national associations.FIFA has asked a federal court in Florida to refuse UEFA’s request for documents and testimony from two FIFA entities based in the state, which the European confederation wants to use in a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland.In its response, FIFA accused UEFA of making “numerous false or misleading statements about FIFA and Infantino” and argued that the legal action was intended to influence the next presidential election.UEFA alleges that Infantino developed FIFA Forward Enterprise with a small group of advisers and prospective investors without properly consulting FIFA’s Council, confederations or member associations.The withdrawn proposal would have placed World Cup commercial rights and other assets in a subsidiary open to outside investment, with prospective investors expected to pay $4.2 billion for a stake in the business.FIFA rejected UEFA’s suggestion that Infantino might have benefited personally from the proposal, saying: “UEFA’s suggestions that Mr Infantino violated any law or ethical principle are categorically without merit.”The governing body also argued that the plan would have required approval from its Council and member associations, and that both groups would have retained oversight of the proposed company.A central financial disagreement concerns how the subsidiary was valued, with UEFA questioning whether the proposed transaction adequately reflected the value of FIFA’s commercial rights.FIFA said UEFA had confused the company’s equity value with its enterprise value, arguing that the latter was substantially higher because it included the value of the entire business rather than only the amount attributable to shareholders after debt.Those competing accounts have yet to be tested through disclosure of the underlying documents, which is why UEFA is seeking evidence from FIFA’s US entities and other parties connected to the proposed transaction.UEFA declined to comment on FIFA’s latest filing, and the US court has not decided whether to grant its request for evidence.At the same time, Infantino has instructed FIFA’s secretary general to assess proposals for additional development funding before the Council meets on October 15.UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani have proposed making at least $10 million available to each of FIFA’s 211 member associations during the 2027 to 2030 cycle, on top of existing commitments.Their proposal would cost approximately $2.1 billion, which they argue FIFA could distribute from reserves they project will reach around $6 billion at the end of 2026.The two confederation presidents have also requested an independent examination of FIFA’s finances, asking whether outside investment was needed to deliver more money to national associations in the first place.Infantino has agreed to examine additional payments but has made no commitment to the proposed amount, asking the confederations to submit their financial models and assumptions for scrutiny by FIFA’s administration and relevant committees.In his letter to confederation presidents, he said: “Until the assessment and necessary approvals are complete, no preliminary figure can be treated as an approved commitment to the Member Associations.”The review will consider how much could be distributed, when payments could be made, what reserves FIFA must retain and which reporting and audit conditions should apply to recipients.Infantino maintained that FIFA Forward Enterprise had been intended to increase investment beyond what could responsibly be funded from existing resources, rather than replace a possible distribution from reserves.He said: “I will not prejudge the amount,” while indicating that he would support additional funding justified by the financial evidence and approved through FIFA’s governance process.The Council could receive a recommendation on October 15 if sufficient evidence is available, or agree a timetable for completing the assessment if further work is required.The funding review and court dispute both stem from the collapse of FIFA Forward Enterprise, but they ask different questions: whether member associations can receive substantially more money from FIFA now, and how the abandoned investment proposal was developed.Their outcomes will test Infantino’s promise to consult football’s institutions more closely, while determining how much information FIFA must disclose about a plan that brought its financial strategy and decision-making under sustained scrutiny.