FIFA has intensified its dispute with UEFA over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise project, accusing European football’s governing body of trying to damage FIFA and president Gianni Infantino.
The latest escalation follows UEFA’s decision to file papers in the United States seeking access to documents and evidence linked to the proposed commercial venture. UEFA has indicated that material obtained through the US proceedings could later support a criminal complaint in Switzerland.
UEFA has alleged that Infantino mishandled the proposed transaction and promoted a structure that substantially undervalued FIFA’s commercial assets. FIFA has rejected those claims and asked the US court to delay or deny UEFA’s request for disclosure.
FIFA Challenges UEFA’s Legal Case
In its filing, FIFA argues that UEFA is seeking evidence for a criminal process that has not been opened and which UEFA itself does not have the legal authority to initiate.
FIFA also maintains that FIFA Forward Enterprise, known as FFE, never progressed beyond the proposal stage. Any transaction would have required support from a majority of FIFA’s national associations together with formal approval from the FIFA Council.
The governing body says UEFA chose to oppose the plan publicly instead of participating in that approval process.
FIFA has also accused UEFA of having an economic interest in stopping the initiative. It argues that greater investment in football outside Europe could strengthen national teams and domestic leagues in developing markets, creating more competition for European football and reducing UEFA’s commercial influence.
FFE was intended to generate additional funding for FIFA’s smaller member associations, with money directed towards player development, domestic competitions and football infrastructure.
Kushner and Maffei Drawn Into Court Fight
UEFA has not formally responded to FIFA’s latest filing. However, people familiar with UEFA’s position believe FIFA should provide the requested documents if there are no concerns about how the proposed transaction was handled.
The dispute has also become part of a wider challenge to Infantino’s leadership, with UEFA taking a leading role in opposition to the FIFA president. Three confederations have reportedly called for him to step down.
UEFA has separately asked a New York court to approve requests for testimony and documents from US venture capitalist Joshua Kushner and his company Thrive Eternal.
Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, had been lined up as the main investor in FFE. Thrive had discussed a $4.2bn investment for a 20% stake in a newly created FIFA commercial subsidiary.
The proposal was abandoned shortly after details became public in July and triggered strong criticism across international football.
FIFA had argued that the investment could substantially increase the amount distributed to national associations during the 2027-2030 funding cycle, raising payments from around £5.9m to £14.7m per association.
Kushner has since expressed regret over becoming involved in the project while continuing to defend its stated objective of increasing investment in global football development.
UEFA is also seeking documents from American businessman Greg Maffei, who advised on the proposed deal. Neither Kushner nor Maffei is expected to be a defendant in any future proceedings, but UEFA believes their records could clarify how the project was developed.
Valuation at Centre of UEFA Allegations
According to UEFA’s legal filings, Kushner and Maffei first discussed the FFE concept in July 2025, while Infantino had allegedly been exploring the broader proposal with Kushner for close to a year before a term sheet was signed.
A central issue in UEFA’s challenge is the valuation placed on FIFA’s commercial assets.
UEFA claims World Cup-related rights were effectively valued at approximately £15bn without an open competitive process or independent valuation.
Its lawyers also allege that Infantino failed to properly consult FIFA’s senior leadership before the proposal advanced.
Those accusations are now at the centre of an increasingly bitter legal and political confrontation between FIFA and UEFA, with the abandoned FFE project continuing to fuel questions over governance, valuation and decision-making at the top of world football.