European football governing body UEFA has formally threatened legal action against FIFA President Gianni Infantino following the collapse of a controversial proposal to commercialise FIFA’s flagship competitions through a private investment scheme.
In an official legal notice sent to FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, UEFA said it is “actively considering legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints” over the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
Under the proposed initiative, FIFA planned to establish a commercial subsidiary valued at approximately $20 billion and sell a 20 per cent stake to private investors, raising up to $4.2 billion. The project, reportedly backed by investment bank JP Morgan and private equity firm Thrive Eternal, would have transferred commercial rights for major competitions, including the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups, into the new venture.
The proposal sparked widespread opposition across world football. UEFA led resistance to the plan, with all 55 of its member associations reportedly threatening to boycott FIFA competitions if the proposal proceeded.
UEFA accused FIFA of attempting to “sell the soul of football” and criticised the governing body for allegedly prioritising private financial interests over the long-term welfare of the sport.
Following the backlash from continental federations, national associations and other stakeholders, Infantino announced that the proposal would not proceed.
Despite the withdrawal, UEFA has instructed FIFA and Infantino to preserve all relevant documents and electronic records relating to the proposal as it weighs possible legal proceedings.
The legal notice states:
“UEFA hereby gives formal notice that it is actively considering legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints arising out of and in connection with the FFE plan proposed by FIFA and all related matters.
“You and FIFA are required to take immediate steps to identify, locate, and preserve all documents and electronically stored information described in this notice that are in your or FIFA’s possession, custody, or control. These obligations arise independently of any internal retention policy you or your organisation maintain and supersede any routine document destruction or deletion policies that would otherwise apply.”
The latest development further intensifies pressure on Infantino’s leadership, with UEFA maintaining its opposition to the proposed commercial restructuring and indicating that further legal action remains under consideration.