FIFA accuses UEFA of launching a disinformation campaign

FIFA has accused UEFA of launching a “disinformation campaign” as part of its efforts to obtain documents related to Gianni Infantino’s abandoned plan to sell stakes in the World Cup. In a response filed in a case pending before a court in Florida, FIFA stated that UEFA’s attempt to compel the global governing body to hand over these documents also constitutes an effort to “influence” the upcoming FIFA presidential election scheduled for next year. Infantino sparked widespread controversy in July when he proposed creating a commercial subsidiary to manage FIFA’s flagship tournaments, including the World Cup and the Club World Cup. The plan would have allowed private-sector investors to acquire shares in a company to be established under the “FIFA Forward Enterprise” initiative. However, the backlash that followed led to the rapid withdrawal of the proposals.