FIFA Suffers New York Court Setback as UEFA Pursues Infantino’s $4.2 Billion World Cup Deal

FIFA has suffered a legal setback in New York after a Manhattan judge rejected attempts by two of its US subsidiaries to block UEFA from seeking evidence linked to president Gianni Infantino’s abandoned $4.2 billion World Cup investment plan.

The ruling allows UEFA to continue its efforts to obtain documents from US investment firm Thrive and banking giant JP Morgan. However, the court has not ruled on the merits of UEFA’s application, and no documents have been ordered to be produced.

UEFA initiated the legal action as part of a wider effort to investigate the circumstances surrounding Infantino’s proposed private investment arrangement, which triggered a major controversy in world football before being abandoned within days.

In Thursday’s ruling, US District Judge Jeannette Vargas rejected requests by FIFA (Americas) Inc. and FWC2026 US Inc. to intervene, saying they had failed to demonstrate a direct and legally protectable interest in the proceedings.

FIFA maintained that the ruling was limited to its US subsidiaries and did not address the merits of UEFA’s application. It has also accused UEFA of harassing Infantino through legal actions in the United States.

The proposed deal, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise, involved selling investors a permanent stake of more than 20 per cent in a FIFA subsidiary managing tournaments, including the World Cup. Thrive, led by Joshua Kushner, was expected to be the anchor investor.

FIFA's 211 member associations were reportedly offered $20 million each to approve the project.

The controversy has emerged as the biggest crisis of Infantino’s nearly 11-year presidency. He plans to seek re-election in March 2027 and faces a potential challenge from Japanese football official Kohzo Tashima. UEFA is also reportedly considering former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger as a possible challenger.