FIFA Files Motion Calling UEFA's Attempt to Subpoena World Cup Documents a 'Smear Campaign' in US Federal Court

FIFA has formally asked U.S. federal courts to dismiss UEFA's attempt to subpoena documents related to a $4.2 billion private equity proposal, characterizing the European confederation's legal maneuvers as a media-driven "smear campaign" against President Gianni Infantino. The global governing body filed motions this week across 3 different states—Florida, New York, and Colorado—to block 4 separate requests for discovery, arguing that the subpoenas are a speculative fishing expedition designed to embarrass FIFA leadership rather than support a legitimate legal claim.[1][2][3][5]

The dispute centers on the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan, a proposal that would have sold commercial stakes in the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup to outside investors. UEFA initiated the 4 legal cases in late August 2026, seeking communications and documents from FIFA, proposed lead investor Thrive Capital, and financial adviser J.P. Morgan. The European body intends to use the information to petition Swiss authorities to bring criminal mismanagement charges against Infantino under Article 158 of the Swiss criminal code.[1][2]

FIFA attorney H. Christopher Boehning pushed back aggressively in the filings, stating that UEFA's applications "are little more than press releases in further support of UEFA's smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership." Boehning argued that complying with the subpoenas would force FIFA to expose confidential information protected by its own governing rules, and noted that UEFA currently has 0 active legal proceedings against FIFA in Switzerland.[1][2]

The legal escalation represents a dramatic rupture between the sport's global and European governing bodies. UEFA's strategy targets the U.S. operations of FIFA and its partners, specifically zeroing in on Thrive Capital founder Josh Kushner and BANN Ventures executive Greg Maffei, who advised on the FFE proposal. By filing in the Southern District of New York and other jurisdictions, UEFA is attempting to leverage the U.S. discovery process to bypass Swiss courts, a move FIFA's legal team described as having a "fundamental defect."[2][5]

FIFA's filings argue that the conditions required to trigger a criminal mismanagement claim in Switzerland are "not met" because UEFA suffered no financial loss from the FFE proposal. The $4.2 billion plan was abruptly withdrawn on August 1, 2026, just 7 days after it became public, following intense pushback from UEFA and other stakeholders who threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions.[1][2]

"If there is any urgency here, it is not legal; it is UEFA's desire to continue the media campaign it has waged since announcing its boycott of FIFA competitions," FIFA's Florida filing stated. The global governing body successfully petitioned a Florida judge on Monday to oppose UEFA's legal attack, and followed up on Tuesday with 3 additional motions to intervene in the New York and Colorado cases, demanding a seat at the table to protect its partners.[2]

The conflict highlights the massive financial stakes surrounding the 104-game 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Infantino had championed the FFE plan as a vehicle to "unleash the commercial potential and opportunity that FIFA has," while UEFA lawyers countered that it was designed for a "small circle to acquire a permanent stake in and otherwise profit from FIFA's most valuable assets."[1][4]

The U.S. federal courts must now decide whether to grant FIFA's request to formally oppose the discovery process by the September 30 deadline. A ruling in UEFA's favor would force unprecedented transparency onto FIFA's private equity negotiations, while a dismissal would effectively neutralize the European confederation's attempt to instigate criminal proceedings against Infantino in Switzerland.[1][2]