Last Updated:
What started as a controversial plan to sell minority stakes in FIFA’s commercial arm has snowballed into an all-out war between FIFA and UEFA.
Gianni Infantino is under-fire for his aborted world cup plan. (AP Photo)
FIFA on Thursday accused UEFA of holding a ‘smear campaign’ and a ‘fishing expedition’ after European football’s governing body asked US judges to compel it to hand over documents linked to its failed plan to bag investors for the FIFA World Cup.
This is the latest in a series of clashes between FIFA and UEFA, who have been at each other’s throats over the past two months, with numerous wars of words having taken place among leaders.
Let us take a look at the timeline of the football war:
July 28
The Times broke the story, prompting UEFA to issue a strongly worded statement, saying: “None of us is the owner of football. It isn’t FIFA’s to sell.” FIFA, which had declined to comment to The Timeslater revealed details of the plan, saying that it would “retain a majority share in FIFA Forward Enterprise” while aiming to raise $4.2 billion later this year by “carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests.”
July 29
If Infantino had been hoping for support from the other confederations, he was left disappointed. CONCACAF, the governing body for football in Central and North America and home to FIFA World Cup co-hosts the USA, Canada and Mexico, said that it was “deeply concerned” that it hadn’t been consulted.
July 30
Infantino’s video message did little to ease tensions and UEFA, whose president, Aleksander Ceferin, had boycotted the FIFA World Cup final to express his displeasure with FIFA, had had enough.
They issued a statement announcing that they would boycott all FIFA competitions. In the most recent World Cup, won by Spain, three of the four semi-finalists were European teams.
July 31
Unfazed by the mounting criticism and dismissing UEFA’s threat of a boycott, FIFA pressed ahead, issuing a statement insisting that it was full steam ahead. FIFA said that it had taken note of the feedback from the confederations.
Instead of righting the ship, the vessel took on more water hours later with the resignation of Infantino’s Special Advisor Carlos Cordeiro.
August 1
The white flag was raised. “Our purpose has always been and will always be to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed,” Infantino said in a statement.
But Infantino lost the “confidence” of UEFA, European football’s governing body, after his proposal to allow private investment in the FIFA World Cup was withdrawn after a global backlash.
“The current FIFA leadership hasn’t only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family,” a statement from UEFA read.
August 6
UEFA, European football’s governing body, said that it would maintain its boycott of the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups despite FIFA withdrawing its proposal to open its competitions to private investment.
UEFA’s initial threat, issued on July 30, to boycott FIFA competitions is credited with being pivotal in the plan being shelved.
August 26
UEFA was “likely” to withdraw its threat to boycott FIFA tournaments after the two conditions it had sought from world football’s governing body, after Gianni Infantino’s failed attempt to sell stakes in the FIFA World Cup, were met, according to reports.
UEFA, led by its president Aleksander Ceferin, had described the proposal in scathing terms, labelling it a “shady, opaque backroom deal”.
August 27
UEFA, European football’s governing body, was preparing a complaint accusing Infantino of “criminal mismanagement” over his now-shelved plan to introduce private financing into the FIFA World Cup, according to reports.
The document sought permission to gather evidence for a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland, where both UEFA and world football’s governing body, FIFA, are based.
August 30
French football great Michel Platini said on August 30 that Infantino “must go” after a series of scandals that have rocked world football’s governing body. Infantino has faced mounting criticism since his abandoned plan to bring private investment into FIFA events, including the World Cup.
Infantino was also lambasted over several controversies during the recent FIFA World Cup in North America.
September 3
FIFA has hit back, asking US judges for permission to contest the UEFA requests. “While these applications are styled as legal pleadings with captions and docket numbers, they are little more than press releases in further support of UEFA’s smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership,” the world body said.
As per reports, the filings argue that UEFA has no right to demand FIFA’s internal documents because no criminal proceedings have been initiated in Switzerland or elsewhere.
Quick Answers
Ask News18FIFA accused UEFA of a ‘smear campaign’ after UEFA asked US judges to compel FIFA to hand over documents related to its failed plan to secure investors for the FIFA World Cup. FIFA argued that UEFA’s requests were merely press releases supporting this campaign against FIFA and its leadership.
Ask News18September 04, 2026, 4:54 PM IST
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
