UEFA Prepares Criminal Lawsuit Against FIFA President Infantino

European football's governing body, UEFA, is preparing to launch criminal legal proceedings against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The move stems from a now-scrapped plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.

Documents obtained by BBC Sport reveal that UEFA has formally applied for access to evidence and documents. These are intended for use in legal proceedings in Switzerland, where Infantino himself faces accusations of "criminal mismanagement."

UEFA also indicated it is considering pursuing similar criminal action against other FIFA officials involved in the controversial plan. The proposal, introduced shortly after this summer's World Cup, involved creating a new entity, FIF Forward Enterprise (FFE), to sell stakes in FIFA's lucrative competitions. The plan was ultimately abandoned following significant backlash.

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In truth, it was a vehicle for Infantino and that small circle to acquire a permanent stake in and otherwise profit from FIFA’s most valuable assets to the detriment of FIFA, its members, and other parties within the football family.

UEFA's application asserts that the proposed company was a "vehicle for Infantino and that small circle to acquire a permanent stake in and otherwise profit from FIFA’s most valuable assets to the detriment of FIFA, its members, and other parties within the football family." The body claims Infantino pushed the plan through internal FIFA approval rapidly, with limited officials given minimal time to sign off on the multi-billion dollar scheme.

Key figures within UEFA met in Monaco to discuss Infantino's status, unanimously mandating the UEFA president and administration to "pursue every available institutional, political and legal avenue necessary to secure fundamental reform, restore proper limits on presidential authority and ensure that FIFA is once again governed as an institution – not around one individual."

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Those present unanimously mandated the UEFA president and administration to pursue every available institutional, political and legal avenue necessary to secure fundamental reform, restore proper limits on presidential authority and ensure that FIFA is once again governed as an institution – not around one individual.