In a significant legal confrontation, FIFA has accused UEFA of orchestrating a "smear campaign" against it, as detailed in a court filing made on Thursday. This accusation arises in the context of FIFA President Gianni Infantino's controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and other competitions, which has faced intense scrutiny and backlash.
Last week, UEFA took steps to gather evidence related to Infantino's proposal by filing requests in three U.S. courts. In its response, FIFA characterized these requests as little more than public relations efforts designed to undermine FIFA and its leadership rather than legitimate legal actions. The organization made this claim in a filing submitted to the U.S. District Court in Colorado, where it sought to intervene in the discovery process, requesting that it either be deferred or dismissed altogether.
One of the key elements of UEFA's discovery requests was filed in the Southern District of New York, targeting documents from Josh Kushner and his investment firm, Thrive Capital Management. Kushner, who is notably the younger brother of Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump's son-in-law, was involved in Infantino's FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative. This proposal aimed to sell stakes in the World Cup for a staggering $4.2 billion. However, FIFA withdrew this proposal shortly after its public announcement on August 1, following significant backlash from various stakeholders.
Additional discovery requests related to the World Cup sell-off have been filed in Florida, where FIFA maintains its operational base for the 2026 World Cup, and in Colorado, targeting Greg Maffei, an adviser to Infantino and former CEO of Liberty Media.
In a statement to Axios, Kushner defended the motivations behind the FFE but acknowledged that he underestimated the political complexities within global football. He remarked, "While we stand behind the motivations of FFE, we failed to appreciate the political dynamics of global football, and the lengths some would go to. Thrive has a long track record of being a partner to all constituents. Had we known what this would devolve into, we would not have gotten involved." Kushner is also in the news for agreeing to purchase the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers alongside Bob Iger.
UEFA has indicated in its court documents that it is preparing a criminal complaint against Infantino in Swiss courts, alleging possible financial mismanagement. UEFA lawyers have argued that Infantino's plan was not just a means to enhance FIFA's commercial prospects but rather a strategy for Infantino and a select group to secure a permanent stake in FIFA's most valuable assets, potentially harming FIFA, its members, and other stakeholders within the football community.
FIFA, in its defense, contended that UEFA's requests are fundamentally flawed, asserting that UEFA is seeking discovery to support a foreign criminal proceeding that does not exist and which UEFA lacks the authority to initiate. Furthermore, FIFA accused UEFA of pressuring its European federations to oppose the proposed plan, highlighting the growing rift between the two governing bodies in international football.
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