{"id":558376,"date":"2026-08-04T04:20:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T04:20:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/558376\/"},"modified":"2026-08-04T04:20:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T04:20:15","slug":"uefa-warns-fifa-of-legal-action-over-failed-world-cup-sell-off-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/558376\/","title":{"rendered":"UEFA warns FIFA of legal action over failed World Cup sell-off plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

European football body UEFA has threatened FIFA with legal action over Gianni Infantino\u2019s failed plan to sell a stake in future World Cup profits to private investors, and said any potential evidence should not be destroyed.<\/p>\n

Infantino\u2019s secretive proposal to raise US$4.2 billion (NZ$7.1 billion) from investors including the New York investment firm of Joshua Kushner was dropped Saturday<\/a>, days after the revelation in media reports provoked a global furore.<\/p>\n

UEFA led the backlash, and on Friday its 55 member federations met to agree to boycott all FIFA events and competitions<\/a> while the proposal was active.<\/p>\n

Now lawyers for UEFA have informed FIFA that the European body is \u201cactively considering legal action, arbitration, and\/or regulatory complaints … arising out of and in connection with the FFE (FIFA Forward Enterprise) plan proposed by FIFA and all related matters\u201d.<\/p>\n

The letter dated Friday (local time) from the legal firm Dechert in New York was seen Monday by The Associated Press.<\/p>\n

The letter named 18 FIFA executives who it said should retain data, documents and electronic messages as potential evidence. They include Infantino, Zurich-based chief finance officer Thomas Peyer and Ars\u00e8ne Wenger, the coaching great who is FIFA’s head of global football development.<\/p>\n

\u201cUEFA puts you on formal notice that any destruction, deletion, alteration, concealment, or loss of relevant materials following receipt of this notice \u2014 or following any earlier date on which you were, or reasonably should have been, aware that proceedings were anticipated \u2014 may constitute spoliation of evidence,\u201d the letter said.<\/p>\n

Europe seeks rival candidate to lead FIFA<\/p>\n

\"One<\/p>\n

One of the expected FIFA investment partners is linked to the Trump family. (Source: Associated Press)<\/p>\n

The Swedish football federation confirmed that UEFA is actively looking “to come up with an alternative candidate\u201d as FIFA president. The next election is scheduled in March.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, UEFA signalled it wants to end Infantino\u2019s decade-long presidency<\/a>, saying he had lost the confidence of world football and that \u201cno option should be off the table\u201d.<\/p>\n

Hours earlier, Infantino had withdrawn the divisive proposal that offered FIFA\u2019s 211 member federations one-off payments of US$20 million (NZ$34 million) each with a mid-September deadline to accept.<\/p>\n

The FFE spin-off valued by FIFA at US$20 billion (NZ$34 billion) would have taken control of the football body\u2019s money-making commercial and tournament operations through at least 2038. It promised to more than double development money over that time for the 211 members who already effectively own the Zurich-based not-for-profit governing body.<\/p>\n

It was the project of just one man, FIFA\u2019s chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said in a stinging statement Friday to the AP, which said staff felt deceived by their boss Infantino.<\/p>\n

Legal proceedings are \u201creasonably anticipated\u201d, UEFA\u2019s lawyer Andrew J Levander wrote, citing the belief of football stakeholders that the plan was \u201cfundamentally incompatible with the proper governance of football\u201d.<\/p>\n

Opposition to Infantino<\/p>\n

\"Trump<\/p>\n

Trump and Infantino enjoy the FIFA World Cup together. (Source: Associated Press)<\/p>\n

UEFA has been most outspoken against its former employee Infantino, while the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, the North and Central American and Caribbean football body, also have made strong statements to oppose Infantino\u2019s plan.<\/p>\n

Infantino has most support from his traditional base in Africa, while South America\u2019s CONMEBOL is relying on him to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams from 48. That would give more hosting games to Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, the home country of CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez.<\/p>\n

Infantino’s path to stabilising the presidency he has held for over 10 years was unclear Tuesday, which began in New York with a report he was seeking support from the administration of his close ally, US President Donald Trump, possibly in a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no plans for @SecRubio to speak with Infantino and there is no call this morning,\u201d Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, posted on social media.<\/p>\n

A week is a long time in politics<\/p>\n

\"FIFA<\/p>\n

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during a news conference at the stadium in Mexico City, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, a day before the opening FIFA World Cup match between Mexico and South Africa. (Source: Associated Press)<\/p>\n

The private equity plan has provoked a stunning turnaround in fortunes for Infantino since it was revealed last Tuesday<\/a> by The Times of London.<\/p>\n

The 56-year-old FIFA leader left New York after the World Cup final two weeks ago seemingly a lock to be re-elected unopposed next March for a fourth and final term in office through 2031.<\/p>\n

The spin-off operation could have created a commissioner-like role for him beyond 2031, paying much more than his current US$6 million (NZ$10 million) annual salary and bonus deal as president.<\/p>\n

FIFA briefed at the World Cup that Infantino had pledged letters of support from about 200 of the 211 member federations.<\/p>\n

Those letters are now likely being withdrawn across Europe, with the Wales federation the first to announce its reversal.<\/p>\n

The candidate deadline is November 18 for an election exactly four months later in Morocco, one of Infantino’s strongest allies and a co-host of the 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal.<\/p>\n

The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including a cold snap closes roads, mothers plead for help to save stranded sons, and Ariana Grande\u2019s big decision. (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"European football body UEFA has threatened FIFA with legal action over Gianni Infantino\u2019s failed plan to sell a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":558377,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[138,2966,111,139,69,213],"class_list":["post-558376","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-business","tag-fifa-world-cup","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/558376","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=558376"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/558376\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/558377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=558376"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=558376"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=558376"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}