European soccer body UEFA warns FIFA of legal action over Infantino's failed World Cup sell-off plan
European soccer body UEFA has threatened FIFA with legal action over President Gianni Infantino's abandoned plan to sell a stake in future World Cup profits to private investors. The proposal, which caused a global backlash, led UEFA's 55 member federations to agree to boycott FIFA events if it proceeded, and they are now actively considering legal, arbitration, or regulatory complaints.
Why it matters
This dispute highlights significant internal power struggles and financial disagreements within global soccer governance, potentially leading to major legal battles and impacting the future financial structure of the World Cup.
FILE - FIFA President Gianni Infantino, right, talks to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin during the FIFA 75th Congress at the Conmebol Convention Center in Luque, Paraguay, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Calistro, File) (AP Photo/Fernando Calistro) President Donald Trump, left, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino watch confetti fall at the conclusion of the World Cup championship final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) FILE - President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters during a meeting with the White House task force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, in Washington, as FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and FIFA senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro listen.
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