UEFA has asked a U.S. federal court for permission to obtain testimony and documents from FIFA entities in Florida for use in a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, according to a court filing.

In an ex parte application filed under U.S. law, European soccer’s governing body said it is considering criminal proceedings against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials and advisers over a now-abandoned plan to transfer commercial rights linked to men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup into a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

UEFA alleges Infantino developed the proposal in secret with a small group of advisers and investors, bypassing FIFA’s normal governance processes and failing to consult FIFA’s Council, regional confederations or member associations.

The filing asks a U.S. court to authorize discovery from FIFA (AMERICAS), Inc. and FWC2026 US, Inc., two Florida-based FIFA entities. UEFA said the organizations may possess documents and witnesses relevant to how the FFE transaction was conceived, structured, valued and approved.

Reuters has contacted FIFA for comment.

(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)