FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing potential legal action from UEFA following his controversial plan to sell a stake in future World Cup profits to private investors. UEFA has issued a warning to FIFA, urging them to preserve potential evidence related to this matter.

UEFA's Legal Threat

On Saturday, Infantino abandoned a proposal aimed at raising $4.2 billion from investors, including New York investment firm Joshua Kushner, after it was publicly disclosed, sparking widespread criticism. In response, UEFA's 55 member federations convened and agreed to boycott all FIFA events while the proposal was still under consideration.

UEFA's legal team has formally notified FIFA that they are "actively considering legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints" associated with the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan. The letter specifically named 18 FIFA executives, including Infantino and FIFA's chief finance officer Thomas Peyer, instructing them to retain all relevant data and documents as potential evidence. UEFA emphasized that any destruction or alteration of these materials could be considered spoliation of evidence.

Future of Infantino's Presidency

In a further development, the Swedish football federation has confirmed that UEFA is exploring options for an alternative candidate for the FIFA presidency, with the next election set for March. UEFA has expressed a desire to end Infantino's decade-long tenure, citing a loss of confidence in his leadership and stating that "no option should be off the table."

Infantino's retracted proposal had promised one-off payments of $20 million to FIFA's 211 member federations, with a mid-September deadline for acceptance. The FFE initiative, valued at $20 billion, aimed to take control of FIFA's commercial and tournament operations through at least 2038, while also significantly increasing development funding for member nations. However, FIFA's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour criticized the plan, indicating that it was solely the project of Infantino, leaving staff feeling misled.