FIFA accuses UEFA of election interference as Infantino governance row escalates

FIFA has accused UEFA of attempting to interfere in its presidential election, filing documents in the Southern District of Florida that describe the European governing body’s legal actions as a deliberate smear campaign against Gianni Infantino ahead of his re-election bid in March.

The escalation follows UEFA’s own submission to US courts last month, in which the European governing body requested disclosure of FIFA documents in preparation for possible legal action in Switzerland. UEFA accused Infantino of “criminal mismanagement” in connection with the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme — a plan to sell shares in the World Cup that was shelved after widespread backlash.

FIFA’s response dismisses UEFA’s brief as containing “numerous false or misleading statements about FIFA and Infantino.” The filing states: “With no basis whatsoever, UEFA suggests that Mr Infantino sought to profit personally from the FFE proposal.” FIFA argues the FFE plan would have required approval from both member associations and the FIFA Council, and was therefore subject to institutional oversight.

On the election interference allegation, FIFA’s filing is direct: “Just before FIFA’s election, UEFA filed this 1782 Application (and three others) spreading misinformation regarding Mr Infantino. This court should reject any attempt to influence FIFA’s presidential election based on these grounds.”

This is not the first time FIFA has levelled such accusations. Earlier this month, the organisation wrote in separate court filings that UEFA had “issued a press release — the beginning of a weeks-long smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership” rather than engaging with the democratic process.

Infantino faces re-election in March, with the deadline for rival candidates set at 18 November. English FA chair Debbie Hewitt has already written to Infantino demanding answers over the FFE scheme and the controversial overturning of a red card shown to United States forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup.

The dispute has drawn in the major European leagues. The Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, and Serie A issued a joint statement last week calling for wholesale reform of FIFA’s governance structures. “Football’s longstanding foundations have, in recent years, been threatened by a fundamental governance problem, whereby FIFA’s president has actively promoted exploitative ideas rather than safeguarding against them,” the statement read.