Uefa has escalated its campaign to unseat Fifa president Gianni Infantino by preparing a criminal complaint in Switzerland alleging 'criminal mismanagement' over a failed World Cup sell-off plan, according to the Guardian.
Key facts
- Uefa is preparing a legal complaint against Fifa president Gianni Infantino in Switzerland, the Guardian reported.
- The complaint alleges 'criminal mismanagement' over Infantino's role in a failed World Cup sell-off plan.
- Uefa had earlier withdrawn a proposed boycott of Fifa competitions.
- The announcement came as executives gathered in Monte Carlo for the Champions League draw.
Uefa has significantly escalated its efforts to remove Gianni Infantino as Fifa president, announcing it is preparing a criminal complaint against him in Switzerland, according to the Guardian.
The planned complaint alleges ‘criminal mismanagement’ relating to Infantino’s role in what the Guardian described as a failed World Cup sell-off plan. The move marks a dramatic new development in the ongoing battle over the leadership of world football’s governing body.
The announcement came on one of the biggest days in the European football calendar, as national football federation and club executives gathered in Monte Carlo for the Champions League draw, the Guardian reported.
The move follows Uefa’s decision to withdraw a proposed boycott of Fifa competitions, which the Guardian revealed earlier in the week. While some interpreted that withdrawal as a step back in the campaign against Infantino, the planned criminal complaint indicates Uefa is pursuing a different and more forceful strategy.
The Guardian noted that anyone who saw the withdrawal of the boycott as a backward step was ‘quickly disabused of that notion’ by the announcement of the planned legal complaint, which overshadowed the Champions League draw proceedings.
Why it matters
The dispute represents an extraordinary confrontation between European football's governing body and the head of the sport's global organisation. A criminal complaint against a sitting Fifa president would mark a serious escalation in a power struggle with major implications for how world football is run.
Frequently asked questions
What is Uefa accusing Gianni Infantino of?
According to the Guardian, Uefa's planned legal complaint alleges 'criminal mismanagement' over Infantino's role in a failed World Cup sell-off plan.
Where is the complaint being filed?
Uefa announced it was preparing to make the legal complaint against Infantino in Switzerland, according to the Guardian.
Did Uefa drop its boycott of Fifa competitions?
Yes. The Guardian reported that Uefa withdrew a proposed boycott of Fifa competitions earlier in the week, but the criminal complaint shows the campaign against Infantino is continuing.