Fifa rejects Uefa allegations in court fight over abandoned investment plan

Fifa has rejected Uefa's allegations over its abandoned plan to sell stakes in major competitions, accusing the European governing body of spreading misinformation and trying to influence its presidential election. According to BBC Sport, Fifa made the response in court documents filed on Monday night in the Southern District of Florida.

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The filing opposes Uefa's request for access to evidence and documents concerning Fifa Forward Enterprise, known as FFE. Uefa submitted its legal papers in the United States last month and warned that it could pursue a criminal complaint in Switzerland. Its allegations concerned Infantino's management of the proposal and whether he sought personal benefit.

Fifa denied that Infantino had tried to profit from the scheme and rejected suggestions that he had broken the law or breached ethical standards. It also challenged the scope of Uefa's disclosure request, arguing that courts had rejected comparable applications. BBC Sport said it had approached Uefa for a response.

The FFE proposal would have brought private investors into the World Cup and other Fifa competitions through the sale of stakes. It was withdrawn after opposition that included demands for Infantino's resignation. Infantino has defended the initiative as an effort to increase the money available for football, rather than a means of personal enrichment.

Demands for greater disclosure have also come from within Fifa's leadership. Earlier this month, Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who is a Fifa vice-president, called on Infantino to release all documents relating to the project. She also sought an independent review of FFE, BBC Sport reported.

A separate funding dispute is heading to the Fifa Council. Uefa and Concacaf have requested payments of $10m to each of Fifa's 211 members from its reserves, with the proposal due for consideration on 15 October. In a Monday letter seen by BBC Sport, Infantino supported additional funding but did not commit to an amount, saying the decision required a broader policy discussion.

The exchanges come before Infantino stands for election for a fourth time in March 2027. His opponents have until 18 November to identify an alternative candidate. BBC Sport reported that three confederations have called for him to step down, with Uefa leading opposition to his leadership.