FIFA Accuses UEFA of 'Smear Campaign' in US Court Filing Fighting Discovery Requests

FIFA moved from defense to counterattack, filing a motion in a Colorado federal court asking to intervene and block or defer UEFA's discovery requests, which UEFA had filed in three US courts (including the Southern District of New York, seeking documents from Josh Kushner's Thrive Capital) as part of preparing a Swiss criminal complaint against Infantino over the abandoned $4.2 billion World Cup stake-sale plan. FIFA's filing called UEFA's applications 'little more than press releases in further support of UEFA's smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership' and 'yet another step in UEFA's smear campaign,' arguing UEFA lacks standing since no criminal proceedings yet exist in Switzerland and that disclosure would 'directly threaten FIFA's interests and reveal sensitive and proprietary information.' FIFA also accused UEFA of improperly bypassing Swiss courts to apply directly to US courts. The filing, made Thursday Sep 3, escalates a dispute that has run since UEFA first threatened a boycott in late July; FIFA reiterated the accusation again Sep 4, calling UEFA's continued legal filings a 'concerted' effort to undermine Infantino ahead of the March 18, 2027 presidential election in Rabat.