RismadarVoice Reporters
September 29, 2026
FIFA has accused European football governing body UEFA of conducting what it described as a “misinformation campaign” as the two organisations remain locked in a legal dispute over documents linked to an abandoned commercial proposal involving FIFA competitions.
The dispute centres on the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), an initiative proposed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino after the 2026 World Cup.
Under the proposal, FIFA planned to establish a commercial subsidiary involving private investment to manage certain commercial rights connected to major competitions, including the World Cup and Club World Cup.
The proposal faced opposition from sections of the football community and was subsequently withdrawn.
UEFA has since approached courts in the United States seeking documents and testimony from FIFA-related entities for possible use in contemplated legal proceedings in Switzerland concerning the FFE proposal.
In its latest response filed in a United States federal court in Florida, FIFA accused UEFA of making what it described as false or misleading claims concerning Infantino and the governing body.
FIFA also alleged that UEFA’s efforts were partly intended to influence the FIFA presidential election scheduled for 2027. UEFA has challenged FIFA’s handling of the proposed commercial arrangement and sought greater disclosure surrounding how it was developed.
FIFA rejected suggestions that Infantino sought personal financial benefit from the proposed arrangement and maintained that allegations of unlawful or unethical conduct were without merit.
The governing body has asked the US court to reject UEFA’s request for access to the documents.
The legal dispute comes amid broader scrutiny of FIFA’s governance following controversy surrounding the FFE proposal.
Infantino has since proposed an independent external review of FIFA’s governance framework following concerns raised over the abandoned initiative.
The dispute between FIFA and UEFA remains unresolved, with the request for documents still subject to legal proceedings.
