FIFA to fund Gianni Infantino's defence if UEFA pursues legal case

UEFA recently submitted a legal document requesting information on the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme, a proposal that would have sold World Cup ownership stakes to private investors like Josh Kushner. UEFA accuses Gianni Infantino of presenting the deal fraudulently and at an "absurdly low" valuation, and says the evidence could prompt criminal proceedings in Switzerland, where FIFA is based. The filing names Infantino rather than FIFA, but the sport’s global body is prepared to finance his legal defence because the alleged conduct was performed in his official role.

The plan was quickly condemned by numerous football associations, prompting threats of a boycott and a strongly worded letter from CONCACAF, and it was ultimately scrapped. The backlash has fueled renewed calls for Infantino to step down, though he remains the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election. Josh Kushner, now owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, said he would not have joined the venture had he foreseen the opposition.