FIFA has accused European football’s governing body, UEFA, of conducting a “misinformation” campaign in its bid to obtain documents relating to President Gianni Infantino’s proposal to transfer parts of the World Cup’s commercial operations to a private investment structure.

FIFA made the allegation in a response filed in a United States court in Florida, where UEFA is seeking access to documents and testimony connected to the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.

The proposal, unveiled in July, involved creating a commercial subsidiary to manage major FIFA events, including the World Cup and Club World Cup. It envisaged private investors acquiring stakes in the new entity, although FIFA said it would retain control of the organisation.

The plan triggered opposition from UEFA and its 55 member associations, which rejected the proposal and said the World Cup should not be treated as an investment product. FIFA subsequently shelved the proposal following the backlash.

In its court filing, FIFA said UEFA had made “numerous false or misleading statements” about the organisation and Infantino.

It specifically rejected an allegation that Infantino sought to personally profit from the FFE proposal, saying the plan would have required approval from FIFA’s member associations and the FIFA Council and would have remained subject to oversight.

UEFA had sought the US court’s assistance in obtaining evidence for a potential legal complaint in Switzerland concerning the proposal. It alleged that Infantino developed the plan secretly with a small group of advisers and investors without adequately consulting FIFA’s governing bodies.

FIFA said UEFA’s attempt to obtain the documents was also aimed at influencing next year’s FIFA presidential election.

The governing body’s filing urged the US court to reject UEFA’s request, while UEFA has not yet publicly responded to the latest allegations.

The dispute comes months before the FIFA presidential election, scheduled for March 2027, in which Infantino is seeking another term. FIFA has separately accused unnamed opponents of attempting to undermine the president through allegations and misinformation, while stressing that legitimate scrutiny of the organisation remains permissible.