Fifa accuses Uefa of ‘misinformation campaign’ in response to filing

Fifa on Tuesday accused Uefa of waging a “misinformation campaign” and trying to influence the race for its presidency as world football’s governing body urged a US court to reject a discovery request linked to a controversial investment proposal.

Last month, Uefa asked a US federal court for permission to obtain testimony and documents for use in a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against Fifa president Gianni Infantino over a now-abandoned plan to transfer World Cup commercial rights into a subsidiary called Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).

In its response, Fifa said Uefa’s brief contained “numerous false or misleading statements about Fifa and Infantino”.

“With no basis whatsoever, Uefa suggests that Mr Infantino sought to profit personally from the FFE proposal,” Fifa said in a filing in the Southern District of Florida opposing Uefa’s motion for discovery.

BREAKING: FIFA has accused European football chiefs of “harassment” against Gianni Infantino and trying to influence the presidential election by “spreading misinformation” against him over the World Cup venture 🚨 pic.twitter.com/SAHiCTkvmj— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 29, 2026

“As explained, the FFE plan was subject to approval by both the Fifa member associations and Fifa Council, and FFE would have been subject to oversight by both groups within Fifa.

“Uefa’s suggestions that Mr Infantino violated any law or ethical principle are categorically without merit.”

Uefa alleged Infantino developed the proposal in secret with a small group of advisers and investors, bypassing Fifa’s normal governance processes and failing to consult Fifa’s Council, regional confederations or member associations.

The filing seen by Reuters asked a US court to authorise discovery from Fifa (AMERICAS), Inc and FWC2026 US, Inc, two Florida-based Fifa entities.

Uefa said in the legal filing that investors would have paid $4.2bn for a stake in Fifa Forward Enterprise, valuing the business at about $20bn.

It said the valuation significantly undervalued Fifa’s commercial rights and alleged it had not been subjected to an open auction or tested by an independent valuer.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has written a letter to members proposing an external ‌review of how the governing body makes major decisions, acknowledging that its handling ​of a previous investment plan had caused concern. pic.twitter.com/NBqmE4xktg— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 21, 2026

“Uefa, whether deliberately or through ignorance, conflates equity value with enterprise value,” Fifa said.

“It is undisputed that FFE’s ‘initial equity valuation’ — meaning ‘the value that remains for the shareholders after any debts have been paid off’ — was $20bn.

“Materials distributed to Fifa’s member associations reveal that FFE’s total ‘enterprise value’ on the other hand — meaning the ‘entire value of the business’ — was well over $30bn …

“Indeed, FFE’s enterprise value was well in excess of twice the equity value, and therefore far above the value Uefa says would be fair.”

The FFE project was abandoned in July following opposition from confederations, including Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation, over a lack of consultation, with the dispute fuelling demands for changes to Fifa’s governance.

Last week, Infantino wrote to all 211 member associations proposing an independent review of the governing body’s decision-making processes.

The Swiss administrator is up for re-election in March, and Fifa has alleged that Uefa’s legal filings are an attempt to influence that election.

Sky News has learnt that Gianni Infantino has received a demand from two of his FIFA vice presidents, which our sports correspondent @RobHarris says marks an escalation in international football’s civil war.Read more: https://t.co/IfkMn78OZc pic.twitter.com/fBrIQuCYt8— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 18, 2026

“Just before Fifa’s election, Uefa filed this 1782 Application [and three others] spreading misinformation regarding Mr Infantino,” Fifa said.

“This court should reject any attempt to influence Fifa’s presidential election based on these grounds.”

Infantino, meanwhile, has ordered an assessment of proposals to distribute more money to national associations after calls from Uefa and Concacaf for a $2.1bn payout from the governing body’s reserves, but stopped short of committing to an amount.

In a letter to the six continental confederation presidents seen by Reuters on Monday, Infantino said the assessment would go before the Fifa Council on October 15, with any additional funding subject to financial checks and formal approval.

“Until the assessment and necessary approvals are complete, no preliminary figure can be treated as an approved commitment to the Member Associations,” he wrote.

Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani proposed this month that each of Fifa’s 211 member associations receive at least $10m during the 2027-30 cycle, in addition to existing development funding. They also sought an independent review of Fifa’s reserves.

Their September 18 letter questioned whether Fifa’s abandoned private-investment proposal had been needed to increase funding, given reserves they projected at about $6bn at the end of 2026. They argued their proposed distribution would leave reserves above $1.5bn throughout the following cycle.

The recent commercial proposal, now withdrawn, was intended to enable FIFA to invest more in football — not to replace support that could responsibly be provided from existing resources.—  Gianni Infantino

Infantino defended the rationale for the withdrawn commercial plan, saying it would have generated funding beyond what Fifa could distribute from existing resources.

“The recent commercial proposal, now withdrawn, was intended to enable FIFA to invest more in football — not to replace support that could responsibly be provided from existing resources,” he wrote.

Infantino said FIFA’s administration had already been examining how to provide further development and solidarity funding before receiving the confederations’ submissions.

He asked the confederation chiefs to send their financial models, assumptions and supporting information to the secretary general, with relevant Fifa committees involved in verifying the assumptions.

The Council should determine the amount and timing of additional payments, the reserves needed to protect Fifa’s obligations and financial independence and the eligibility, reporting and audit requirements attached to any distribution, he said.

The assessment would also consider support for confederations facing demonstrable structural costs.

Where sufficient evidence was available, the Council should receive a recommendation on October 15. Otherwise, it should approve “the shortest reasonable timetable” for completing the work.