The Associated Press reported that lawyers for UEFA sent a letter dated Friday informing FIFA that the European body is actively considering legal action, arbitration or regulatory complaints connected to the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan and all related matters. The correspondence from the Dechert law firm in New York named 18 FIFA executives who must retain data, documents and electronic messages as potential evidence. It added that UEFA puts recipients on formal notice that any destruction, deletion, alteration, concealment or loss of relevant materials following receipt of this notice may constitute spoliation of evidence.
Infantino withdrew the proposal early Saturday after it triggered global furor when media reports revealed the plan to raise $4.2 billion from investors that included the New York firm linked to Joshua Kushner. The scheme would have created a spin-off valued by FIFA at $20 billion to control the organization’s commercial and tournament operations while offering each of the 211 member federations a one-off $20 million payment with a mid-September deadline. The Associated Press noted that the 211 members already own the not-for-profit governing body based in Zurich.
UEFA had convened its 55 member federations on Thursday to agree they would boycott all FIFA events and competitions while the proposal remained in effect. The body later signaled it wants to end Infantino’s decade-long presidency after concluding he had lost the confidence of world soccer and that no option should be off the table. FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour stated to the Associated Press that the project was the initiative of just one man and that staff felt deceived by their boss.
The letter from UEFA lawyer Andrew J. Levander stated that legal proceedings are reasonably anticipated because soccer stakeholders believe the plan was fundamentally incompatible with the proper governance of football. UEFA, where Infantino once worked, has been the most outspoken opponent while the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF also issued strong statements against the scheme. Infantino continues to draw his strongest support from federations in Africa.
The episode marks a sharp reversal for Infantino who departed New York after the World Cup final two weeks ago appearing certain of unopposed re-election next March for a fourth term through 2031. The spin-off could have created a commissioner-like position for him beyond that term with compensation exceeding his current annual salary and bonus package of around $6 million. The Associated Press reported that FIFA had briefed during the tournament that letters of support had been secured from about 200 of the 211 federations though those pledges are now expected to be withdrawn.
CONMEBOL is counting on Infantino to expand the 2030 World Cup from 48 to 64 teams which would allocate more matches to Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. The candidate deadline for the presidential election is November 18 with the vote scheduled four months later in Morocco, a close Infantino ally and co-host of the 2030 tournament alongside Spain and Portugal. The Wales federation became the first in Europe to announce it was reversing its earlier letter of support.
