Donald Trump’s most prominent ally in world football is facing a dramatic escalation in the battle for control of FIFA.
UEFA is preparing a criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA president Gianni Infantino and potentially other officials and advisers. The planned action concerns the abandoned proposal to sell a permanent stake in FIFA’s commercial operations to private investors.
According to documents examined by ABC News, UEFA has asked federal courts in New York and Florida to provide testimony and documents that could support a case under Swiss law.
Explosive allegations against Infantino
The proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise project would have allowed investors to purchase a 20 per cent interest in FIFA’s commercial business for $4.2 billion.
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UEFA’s lawyers allege that the valuation was “absurdly low” and had not been tested through an open auction or by an independent valuation. Court documents also claim that Infantino and a small group of advisers spent more than a year preparing the project in secret.
The filing alleges that the proposal could have allowed Infantino and his inner circle to profit from some of FIFA’s most valuable assets. These claims have not been tested in court, and no criminal conviction has been secured.
Infantino eventually abandoned the project after UEFA threatened that its member associations could boycott future FIFA competitions.
Trump delivered powerful public backing
The new legal threat comes just weeks after Trump strongly defended the FIFA president.
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As quoted by ESPN, Trump wrote on Truth Social that FIFA would be making a “terrible mistake” if it considered replacing Infantino.
Trump called him “fantastic” and claimed that FIFA would never be as successful or profitable again if he left. The pair have repeatedly described each other as friends, with Infantino becoming a highly visible figure alongside Trump during the 2026 World Cup.
The proposed investor also brought the deal closer to Trump’s family circle. Thrive Capital is controlled by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Football’s power struggle deepens
UEFA’s member associations have demanded an independent investigation, arguing that FIFA cannot credibly investigate itself. They also claim that the trust required to lead the organisation has been broken.
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Infantino intends to seek another term in 2027. Trump has made his preferred outcome clear, but UEFA’s planned complaint means the battle over FIFA’s leadership has moved far beyond public statements and internal football politics.
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