UEFA has escalated its extraordinary dispute with FIFA, formally threatening legal action despite football’s governing body abandoning its controversial Football Future Enterprise (FFE) proposal following widespread backlash across world football.
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Under the controversial FFE proposal, FIFA was seeking to sell a minority stake in the newly created entity to outside investors.
FIFA claimed the proposal could have generated up to US$4.2 billion based on a US$20 billion valuation, with each of its 211 member associations set to receive a one-off payment of US$20 million while increasing their funding allocation for the 2027-2030 cycle from US$8 million to US$20 million.
But the plan was met with fierce resistance across world football. UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if it proceeded, while CONCACAF labelled the proposal an example of “poor governance and leadership” and called for “a comprehensive reckoning” with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Despite FIFA’s dramatic retreat, the matter appears far from over.
In a formal legal preservation notice sent to FIFA, UEFA confirmed it is actively considering legal proceedings, arbitration and regulatory complaints over the proposal and has instructed FIFA to preserve all relevant documents and communications.
“UEFA hereby gives formal notice that it is actively considering legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints arising out of and in connection with the FFE plan proposed by FIFA and all related matters,” the notice read.
The governing body warned FIFA that it must immediately preserve all documents and electronically stored information relating to the proposal, regardless of its normal document retention policies.
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“You and FIFA are required to take immediate steps to identify, locate, and preserve all documents and electronically stored information.. These obligations arise independently of any internal retention policy… and supersede any routine document destruction or deletion policies.”
Although UEFA welcomed FIFA’s decision to abandon the proposal, it said the process had severely damaged trust in world football’s governing body, accusing FIFA of pursuing a “shabby, back room, opaque deal” and declaring it had lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership.
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UEFA also reiterated that it had strongly opposed the proposal from the outset, describing the FFE plan as fundamentally incompatible with the governance of world football.
“UEFA – as well as other confederations, FIFA member associations and football stakeholders – has strongly condemned the FFE plan in the strongest terms as fundamentally incompatible with the proper governance of football.”
The letter also serves as a legal warning that any destruction, deletion, alteration, concealment or loss of evidence after receipt of the notice could have serious consequences should proceedings begin.
“UEFA puts you on formal notice that any destruction, deletion, alteration, concealment, or loss of relevant materials following receipt of this notice – or following any earlier date on which you were, or reasonably should have been, aware that proceedings were anticipated – may constitute spoliation of evidence.”
UEFA warned it would seek appropriate legal remedies against any party found to have failed to preserve relevant evidence, including sanctions, adverse inference orders and legal costs.
“UEFA reserves all rights to seek appropriate remedies in the proceedings for any such destruction or loss, including applications for adverse inference orders, sanctions, and costs against the responsible party or parties.”
FIFA has also been given five business days to formally acknowledge receipt of the notice and confirm it has complied with UEFA’s demands.
The governing body has been instructed to confirm it has received and understood the notice, taken immediate steps to preserve all relevant documents and electronically stored information, identify the individual responsible for overseeing compliance within the organisation and disclose whether it is aware of any relevant material that has already been destroyed or deleted.
“UEFA requests that you acknowledge receipt of this notice in writing within five (5) business days… and confirm… that you have taken immediate steps to preserve relevant materials… the identity of the officer or individual responsible for overseeing compliance… and whether you are aware of any relevant materials that have already been destroyed or deleted.”
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FIFA now has five business days to respond, with UEFA making it clear it is prepared to take the next step.