Uefa preparing criminal complaint against Fifa's Infantino over World Cup sale plan

Uefa is preparing a criminal complaint against Fifa president Gianni Infantino, according to reports citing sources familiar with the matter, escalating its response to his now-abandoned plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors.

Uefa and its legal counsel are said to be contemplating a Swiss criminal proceeding against Infantino, and possibly other Fifa officials, for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code. Uefa has also issued a document preservation letter to Infantino, formally warning him against destroying any materials related to the World Cup proposal, and has notified Joshua Kushner, Greg Maffei, JP Morgan and Open Economics that legal action is being considered against them over their involvement.

The dispute stems from a plan, announced by Infantino in late July, to create a roughly $20 billion company with outside investors — including a firm linked to the Kushner family — to take over the World Cup's commercial operations, reportedly in exchange for around $4.2 billion for a 20% stake. Uefa's 55 member federations voted to boycott Fifa competitions in protest, and Infantino withdrew the proposal days later, saying "the proposal will not proceed." Uefa members had said at the time that "some things are simply too important to sell."

The criminal complaint would come even as Uefa moves separately to lift its boycott threat after receiving assurances there will be no repeat of the plan, as previously reported. Uefa's position that Infantino should be replaced as Fifa president has not changed, and the failed proposal has cast fresh doubt on his expected bid for re-election in March 2027.

This report draws on reporting from ESPN, the Globe and Mail, CNN and ABC News.