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UEFA Prepares Swiss Criminal Complaint Against FIFA President Infantino/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ UEFA is preparing a possible criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over a failed plan to sell investors a stake in FIFA’s future commercial revenue. The European soccer body has asked U.S. courts for access to potential evidence held by FIFA and Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital Management. UEFA alleges the proposed $4.2 billion valuation may have harmed FIFA and its members, but no Swiss criminal charges have been filed and the claims have not been adjudicated.

Quick Look

• UEFA is considering a Swiss criminal proceeding against Gianni Infantino.
• The potential complaint concerns alleged criminal mismanagement.
• No Swiss charges have been filed.
• UEFA filed discovery requests in federal courts in New York and Florida.
• One request seeks evidence from Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital Management.
• Thrive was expected to serve as an anchor investor in the proposed deal.
• Investors would have paid $4.2 billion for 20% of a FIFA commercial subsidiary.
• The subsidiary would have controlled commercial events, including the World Cup.
• UEFA alleges the proposed price substantially undervalued FIFA’s commercial assets.
• Infantino abandoned the plan Aug. 1 following opposition from soccer officials.
• FIFA is projected to hold about $5 billion in cash reserves after the 2026 World Cup.
• Thrive declined to comment, while FIFA was contacted for a response.

Deep Look

UEFA Considers Criminal Case Against Infantino

UEFA is preparing a possible criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over his abandoned plan to sell a stake in FIFA’s future World Cup profits to private investors.

The contemplated proceeding would accuse Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials of financial mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code.

UEFA has not yet filed the proposed criminal complaint in Switzerland, and its allegations have not been tested in court.

UEFA Seeks Evidence From US Investment Firm

As it evaluates possible action in Switzerland, UEFA has turned to American courts to obtain evidence.

The European soccer governing body filed documents in a Manhattan federal court seeking discovery from Thrive Capital Management, a New York investment fund founded by Joshua Kushner.

UEFA also filed a request in a federal district court in southern Florida seeking authorization to obtain evidence “in a foreign proceeding” from FIFA itself.

FIFA maintains offices in Coral Gables, a Miami suburb, giving UEFA a basis to pursue relevant documents through the Florida court.

Proposed Deal Valued at $4.2 Billion

Thrive Capital and Kushner were expected to serve as anchor investors in Infantino’s proposed commercial arrangement.

Under the plan, investors would have paid FIFA $4.2 billion for a 20% interest in a subsidiary responsible for managing the organization’s commercial events, including the World Cup.

UEFA’s filing suggests that the price may have substantially undervalued FIFA’s most profitable assets.

Those claims remain allegations, and there has been no judicial finding that Infantino or another FIFA official committed a crime.

UEFA Alleges Investors Would Receive Permanent Stake

According to UEFA’s lawyers, Infantino publicly argued that the proposed investment would expand FIFA’s commercial opportunities.

They alleged that the arrangement instead would have allowed a small group of investors to obtain a lasting financial interest in FIFA’s most valuable assets.

UEFA Challenges FIFA’s Proposed Valuation

UEFA argues that the transaction would have implied a total enterprise value of approximately $20 billion for FIFA’s commercial operations.

FIFA is expected to have approximately $5 billion in cash reserves after completing a record $15 billion in revenue during the 2023-26 commercial cycle, which culminated with the World Cup in North America.

UEFA contends that FIFA’s financial strength and valuable commercial rights made the proposed valuation unjustifiably low.

Infantino Abandoned Plan After Backlash

Infantino withdrew the proposed investment plan Aug. 1 following strong opposition from leaders across international soccer, including UEFA officials.

Two days later, UEFA warned FIFA not to destroy, conceal or otherwise interfere with any “relevant materials” connected to the proposed transaction.

The organization’s latest legal action was disclosed to its member federations Thursday in Monaco, approximately two hours before the Champions League draw.

The timing highlighted the seriousness of the dispute between soccer’s European governing body and FIFA’s global leadership.

FIFA and Thrive Asked to Respond

Thrive Capital declined to comment on UEFA’s legal filing. FIFA was contacted for a response.

It remains unclear what evidence the U.S. courts may authorize UEFA to obtain or whether the material will ultimately support a criminal complaint in Switzerland.

The American discovery proceedings do not themselves establish criminal liability. They are intended to help UEFA collect documents and other evidence for a possible foreign legal action.

Potential Complaint Could Go to Bern or Zurich

UEFA has not indicated which Swiss prosecutorial authority would receive a potential criminal complaint.

The organization could send it to Switzerland’s federal prosecution office in Bern or to local prosecutors in Zurich, where FIFA is headquartered.

Any complaint would require Swiss authorities to decide whether the allegations justify opening a criminal investigation or bringing charges.

Swiss FIFA Prosecutions Have Struggled

Swiss prosecutors have achieved limited results in several prominent cases involving alleged corruption or financial misconduct in international soccer.

Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and former UEFA President Michel Platini were each acquitted twice in Swiss proceedings.

Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser al-Khelaïfian influential Qatari soccer executive, was also acquitted twice in Switzerland.

That history raises questions about whether a potential UEFA complaint against Infantino would produce charges or a successful prosecution.

For now, UEFA’s U.S. discovery requests mark the first concrete legal stage in its effort to examine Infantino’s failed World Cup investment proposal.

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