Former UEFA president files lawsuit against FIFA president

Just before the opening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, French football legend and former UEFA president Michel Platini has taken legal action against FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino. A criminal complaint was filed in Paris on Monday through his lawyers.

Platini claims that a conspiracy was planned to knock him out of the FIFA presidential race in 2015. According to his allegations, his image was tarnished through false accusations and influence peddling so that he could not reach the top position of FIFA.

In addition to Infantino, the complaint names five other officials related to the Swiss football administration and judiciary.

Sources close to Platini said that in addition to the criminal case, preparations are being made to file a civil lawsuit against FIFA demanding compensation. He had previously filed similar complaints against Swiss authorities in 2022.

Meanwhile, FIFA has not yet responded to Platini's new allegations. It is worth noting that Infantino worked with Platini at UEFA for a long time before being elected FIFA president in 2016. Platini was once considered the strongest candidate to be the next FIFA president.

However, his chances suffered a major setback when allegations of financial irregularities came to light in 2015. Later, Platini and then FIFA president Sepp Blatter came under investigation over a payment of 2 million Swiss francs. After a long legal process, both of them were acquitted of the charges in 2022 and later in the appeal court.

Among the people accused in the current charges are former Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber and former FIFA legal chief Marco Villiger.