FIFA Accuses UEFA of Misinformation Campaign Ahead of March Election
World soccer governing body FIFA accused UEFA of waging a “misinformation campaign” and attempting to influence the race for its presidency. In a September legal filing in the Southern District of Florida, FIFA urged a U.S. court to reject a discovery request linked to a controversial investment proposal involving World Cup commercial rights.
Fantasy & Market Impact
The Battle Over the FFE Discovery Request
The legal friction stems from an August application filed by UEFA in a U.S. federal court. UEFA sought permission to obtain testimony and documents for a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The scrutiny targets a now-abandoned plan known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which aimed to transfer World Cup commercial rights into a subsidiary.
Responding in late September, FIFA fired back, asserting that UEFA’s court brief contained “numerous false or misleading statements about FIFA and Infantino”. The governing body stated that UEFA’s suggestions that Infantino sought to profit personally from the proposal were categorically without merit and lacked any factual basis. FIFA maintained that the FFE plan was subject to oversight by both member associations and the FIFA Council.
Valuation Disputes and Enterprise Metrics
At the heart of UEFA’s legal challenge is a dispute over the financial valuation of the commercial rights. UEFA alleged that Infantino developed the proposal in secret with a small group of advisers and investors, bypassing normal governance structures. According to UEFA’s legal filing, investors would have paid $4.2 billion for a stake in FFE, valuing the business at about $20 billion without an open auction or independent valuation.
FIFA countered these figures directly, accusing UEFA of confusing equity value with enterprise value. Materials distributed to FIFA’s member associations indicate that while the initial equity valuation stood at $20 billion, the total enterprise value of the business exceeded $30 billion. FIFA argued that this enterprise valuation was well over twice the equity value, placing it far above the value UEFA claimed would be fair.
| Metric Category | UEFA Stated Figure | FIFA Stated Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Proposed Stake Investment | $4.2 billion | Not disputed |
| Initial Equity Valuation | $20 billion | $20 billion |
| Total Enterprise Value | Not specified | Well over $30 billion |
Electoral Timing and Regional Alignments
Because confederations including UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation raised objections in July regarding a lack of consultation, the FFE project was ultimately scrapped. The dispute fueled demands for changes to FIFA’s governance.
With Infantino up for re-election in March 2027, FIFA framed UEFA’s recent legal actions as an attempt to influence that election. In an effort to address decision-making procedures, Infantino sent a letter last week to all 211 member associations to suggest an independent review. Meanwhile, the Gulf Football Federation, representing eight Middle-Eastern member nations, reiterated its support for Infantino, praising his role in leading FIFA and developing the sport.
FIFA’s legal team emphasized the timing of the litigation in its court filing, stating that UEFA filed its application just before the election while spreading misinformation regarding Infantino. FIFA urged the U.S. court to dismiss the discovery requests directed at Florida-based entities FIFA (AMERICAS), Inc. and FWC2026 US, Inc., arguing the court should reject any attempt to influence the presidential election.
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