European football's governing body, Uefa, is pursuing criminal legal proceedings against Fifa and its president Gianni Infantino. The action stems from a now-abandoned plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors.
Documents seen by BBC Sport indicate that Uefa has submitted an application requesting access to evidence and documents. These materials are intended for use in proceedings in Switzerland against both Infantino and Fifa.
According to the application, Infantino publicly announced a plan on July 28, 2026, to place commercial rights for the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup into a new subsidiary, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE). This announcement was reportedly made without consulting the Fifa Council, Uefa, other confederations, or any of the 211 Fifa member associations. The application states that this plan was conceived and reportedly developed in secret for over a year by Infantino and a small group.