world · SingTao

UEFA Prepares Criminal Charges Against FIFA President Infantino in Swiss Court

SingTao · 3 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN

Summary

UEFA is preparing to file criminal charges against FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Swiss courts, accusing him of mismanagement over a controversial $42 billion plan to sell World Cup equity to private investors. UEFA has filed legal applications in New York seeking evidence from JPMorgan Chase and Thrive Capital linked to the Kushner family. The legal action escalates a bitter governance dispute that has seen multiple continental federations withdraw support for Infantino's re-election.

Key Points

UEFA citing Swiss Criminal Code Article 158 on criminal mismanagement to charge Infantino and FIFA officials involved in the deal
$42 billion financing scheme included Thrive Capital, Joshua Kushner, and JPMorgan Chase as key investors
UEFA filed applications at US District Court in Manhattan to obtain evidence from the investment funds
Infantino withdrew the plan in early March after joint boycotts by European, Caribbean, Asian, and North/Central American federations
Multiple federations have declared they no longer trust Infantino and will not support his re-election

Why It Matters

The criminal lawsuit marks a dramatic escalation from sports politics to actual legal warfare, with UEFA chairman Aleksander Ceferin warning that FIFA risks becoming "a private hedge fund" rather than a governing body. This unprecedented legal challenge could fundamentally reshape global football governance and set precedents for how international sports organizations handle commercial conflicts of interest .