Infantino hires Linklaters to fight UEFA lawsuit over FIFA Forward Enterprise

FIFA has already lined up the law firm that will take on its defense against the lawsuit UEFA filed in the United States on Thursday over the FIFA Forward Enterprise program. The chosen firm is Linklaters, which has extensive experience in high-profile sports disputes, according to Mundo Deportivo. The European governing body is seeking access to documents, communications and minutes related to negotiations to sell part of the World Cup rights to an external investor, a deal UEFA considers damaging to continental football.

• UEFA sued FIFA on Thursday over the FIFA Forward Enterprise program, which involves selling part of the World Cup rights to an external investor.
• The lawsuit was filed in the United States rather than Switzerland, the country where both institutions are based.
• FIFA has hired Linklaters, a firm that recently represented the FA and the Premier League in legal disputes.
• UEFA demands access to all documents, communications and minutes from the initial contact process with the investor.
• The confrontation comes less than two years before the FIFA presidential elections scheduled for March 2027.

What is the FIFA Forward Enterprise program behind the lawsuit

The conflict stems from the FIFA Forward Enterprise program, a structure designed to market part of the World Cup rights to an external investor. UEFA claims the mechanism was launched without proper transparency and is demanding access to all documents, communications and minutes from the contact process. The fact that the lawsuit was filed in the United States instead of Switzerland adds a strategic dimension to the dispute, since the American legal system allows for broader discovery than the Swiss system.

Linklaters, the law firm FIFA picked for its legal defense

FIFA is betting on Linklaters, a firm with a strong track record in English football disputes. It recently represented the Football Association in its case against Chelsea and defended the Premier League in proceedings against Leicester City, Everton and Nottingham Forest. Its experience in litigation involving sports bodies and clubs makes it a well-known player in the European football ecosystem, which FIFA sees as solid technical backing to face UEFA's lawsuit.

UEFA's campaign against Infantino ahead of the 2027 elections

Within FIFA, the lawsuit is seen as part of a broader UEFA campaign against world football's governing body and its president, Gianni Infantino. The electoral context weighs heavily: presidential elections are scheduled for March 2027, and UEFA has already signaled that if Infantino runs for re-election, it will join forces with other confederations to offer member federations an alternative.

UEFA will exhaust all the institutional, political and legal avenues available to ensure a fundamental reform, restore proper limits to presidential authority and ensure FIFA is governed as an institution rather than around a single individual.

UEFA's stance: no trust in FIFA's current president

UEFA's statement leaves no room for ambiguity. The organization openly acknowledges that it has no trust whatsoever in the current president and presents itself as a player ready to shape the future of FIFA. It pledges to seek a credible alternative committed to integrity, accountability and institutional development. The harshness of the message reflects an institutional fracture in world football governance not seen in recent years.

Why the lawsuit was filed in the United States instead of Switzerland

The choice of US jurisdiction is a detail that did not go unnoticed. Although FIFA and UEFA are both based in Switzerland, the lawsuit was filed in the United States, a move that may respond to UEFA's interest in taking advantage of the procedural tools available in the American legal system. The request for access to documents, communications and minutes fits with a case where transparency and accountability are at the heart of the dispute.

Frequently asked questions about UEFA's lawsuit against FIFA