Gianni Infantino’s controversial $20 billion plan may have been abandoned, but the fight around FIFA is far from over. UEFA is now considering criminal proceedings in Switzerland against the FIFA president over alleged financial mismanagement linked to the failed proposal.
UEFA lawyers told a Manhattan court that they are considering a Swiss criminal complaint against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials. They cited Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code and questioned how a proposed 20% stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise was valued and offered.
The plan would have seen New York investment fund Thrive Capital Management, founded by Joshua Kushner, lead a group of investors paying $4.2 billion for the stake. UEFA claims the price was not tested through an open auction or independent valuation.
Infantino abandoned the proposal on August 1 after a fierce backlash from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf. UEFA had even threatened to withdraw European teams from FIFA competitions if the plan returned in another form.
That boycott threat has now been suspended after UEFA received assurances that the project will not be revived. The decision protects European participation at tournaments, including the Women’s Under-20 World Cup in Poland.
Yet the political damage to Infantino remains serious. Italy and Romania have both withdrawn their support for his bid for another term as FIFA president, adding pressure ahead of next year’s election.
Giovanni Malagò said Italy wanted football based on “merit, solidarity, sustainability, and the centrality of fans.” Romania’s Răzvan Burleanu also called for a leader who can “inspire trust” and unite the game.
Infantino had appeared almost certain to win another term until the investment plan triggered this crisis. Now, with legal questions mounting and former allies turning away, the battle for FIFA’s future has entered a new and uncertain phase.
