UEFA urges US court to block FIFA subsidiaries in Infantino discovery case

UEFA has filed a motion in a Manhattan federal court requesting the rejection of a bid by two FIFA American subsidiaries, FIFA (Americas) Inc and FWC2026 US Inc, to intervene in a legal discovery battle. UEFA is seeking documents and testimony from Thrive Capital Management and its founder, Joshua Kushner, under U.S. discovery laws to support a potential Swiss criminal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

The investigation centers on the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise transaction, a plan to sell permanent stakes in commercial and operational rights for the World Cup and other FIFA events to private investors. Infantino withdrew the proposal on August 1 following significant opposition from various football bodies. UEFA is considering a criminal complaint in Switzerland alleging criminal mismanagement by Infantino and potentially other officials.

UEFA argues that the subsidiaries are improperly acting as stand-ins for FIFA and Infantino, neither of whom has sought to join the case. The European governing body maintains that the subsidiaries have no direct legal interest in the New York proceedings as they are not targets of the contemplated Swiss investigation. FIFA has characterized UEFA’s actions as a ‘smear campaign’ and a ‘fishing expedition’ intended to damage the organization’s leadership, while Infantino has denied any wrongdoing.