European football’s governing body Uefa said it is preparing a criminal complaint against Gianni Infantino over the Fifa president’s failed plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors.
In a US court filing, Uefa said it was seeking documents from Joshua Kushner’s investment firm, which was lined up as lead investor in Infantino’s attempt to sell a stake in Fifa’s commercial rights to the football tournament.
Uefa said it was “preparing to bring criminal claims in Switzerland against Infantino and possibly other Fifa officials and advisers for criminal mismanagement”.
The legal move comes as European football’s governing body seeks to maintain the pressure on Infantino to resign over the proposal, with Uefa executives and Europe’s football association chiefs meeting in Monte Carlo to discuss the next moves in their dispute.
Uefa threatened to sever commercial and footballing links with Fifa last month in response to Infantino’s bid to sell 20 per cent of the organisation’s commercial rights in a $4bn deal.
