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UEFA Urges US Court to Deny FIFA Subsidiaries' Bid to Join Infantino Discovery Fight

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
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UEFA Urges US Court to Deny FIFA Subsidiaries' Bid to Join Infantino Discovery Fight

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo

UEFA urged a US court on Thursday to reject an attempt by FIFA's American subsidiaries to intervene in its bid to obtain evidence for a potential Swiss criminal case against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over his abandoned World Cup commercial-rights plan.

In a filing in Manhattan federal court, European soccer's governing body said FIFA (Americas) Inc and FWC2026 US Inc were improperly trying to act as stand-ins for FIFA and Infantino, neither of whom has sought to join the case.

UEFA said its request under a US discovery law seeks documents and testimony from Thrive Capital Management and its founder Joshua Kushner, who it says may hold information about the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise transaction.

The plan, which Infantino withdrew on August 1 after a backlash from soccer bodies and other critics, envisaged selling a permanent stake in commercial and operational rights connected to the World Cup and other FIFA events to private investors.

UEFA CONSIDERING CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST INFANTINO

UEFA has said it is considering filing a criminal complaint in Switzerland alleging criminal mismanagement by Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials. Infantino and FIFA have not been charged with wrongdoing.

FIFA accused UEFA last week of running a "smear campaign" and characterized the discovery applications as a fishing expedition intended to damage FIFA and its leadership.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Infantino has denied doing anything wrong.

In Thursday's response, UEFA said the subsidiaries had no direct legal interest in the New York proceeding because they were not targets of the contemplated Swiss case and were not recipients of the proposed subpoenas.

It said the confidentiality concerns cited by the US subsidiaries belonged, if to anyone, to their Swiss parent, FIFA. UEFA also argued that Thrive and Kushner already have lawyers who can challenge any subpoenas after they are served.

Thrive did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Thrive founder Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

UEFA said granting the subsidiaries a role before the court rules would depart from the usual process for requests under Section 1782, which are commonly granted initially without opposition and then tested through motions to quash.

The European body argued that the subsidiaries' intervention would create unnecessary delay by adding another round of merits briefing before UEFA could seek the records.

The court has not yet ruled on either UEFA's discovery application or the intervention motion.

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Egyptian Teenager Abdelkarim to Extend Barca Deal to 2030

Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
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Egyptian Teenager Abdelkarim to Extend Barca Deal to 2030

Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)

Egyptian teenager Hamza Abdelkarim will sign a new contract with Barcelona next week that runs until 2030, the club said on Friday.

The 18-year-old joined Barcelona on loan from Cairo giants Al Ahly in February before making a permanent switch in the summer, having featured at the World Cup.

He became the youngest player to represent Egypt at the World Cup, where he appeared in four of the team's five games.

Abdelkarim impressed in pre-season for Barca with four goals in five matches and made his competitive debut for the Spanish champions as a late substitute in last month's 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

He is due to sign his contract extension on Tuesday, the club said.

Sports

FIFA Bans for Life 2 Officials for Financial Wrongdoing when Presidents of Soccer Federations

(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
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FIFA Bans for Life 2 Officials for Financial Wrongdoing when Presidents of Soccer Federations

(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)

FIFA judges imposed life bans on two former soccer federation presidents for financial misconduct, including one who stayed in office since being sanctioned in 2011 as part of a notorious election bribery scandal in the Caribbean.

Montserrat’s long-time soccer leader Vincent Cassell was charged with “abuse of position, systemic conflicts of interest” and misuse of FIFA and federation funds, FIFA said in a statement on Friday.

The former president of the Maldives soccer federation, Bassam Adeel Jaleel, was expelled from the sport for “misusing FIFA Covid-19 Relief Plan funds for his personal benefit,” FIFA said.

Maldives media reported this year that Jaleel was sentenced to 23 years in prison for embezzling $1.2 million from FIFA. The money was intended for local soccer clubs and was reportedly used to buy apartments.

Cassell and his federation’s long-time general secretary, Tandica Hughes, pleaded guilty in a Montserrat court in April to tax evasion charges, The AP news reported.

Cassell and Hughes continued to run the Montserrat soccer body, which is currently entitled to get at least $2 million each year from FIFA’s World Cup profits. FIFA installed an emergency management team last February this year after they left.

The decision to oversee Montserrat's day-to-day management was due to “exceptional crisis and institutional paralysis,” FIFA cited in February.

Hughes was banned by FIFA judges for 15 years for “benefiting from and facilitating improper transactions,” abuse of position and misuse of funds.

Cassell also faced FIFA charges of “conduct affecting the physical and mental integrity of (federation) staff members,” and was fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1.23 million). It is unclear what authority FIFA has to get the money.

Hughes was ordered to pay 150,000 Swiss francs ($184,000), FIFA said.

Jaleel from the Maldives also was ordered by FIFA to pay 1 million Swiss francs.

The Maldives federation’s former finance director, Mohamed Ageel, was banned from soccer for 10 years and fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($184,000).

FIFA said Ageel’s charges related to “facilitating and concealing misuse of FIFA funds, using falsified documentation and failing to cooperate” with the ethics investigation.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the Maldives last year and acknowledged in a news release “the challenges that football in the Maldives has faced in recent years.”

Sports

Antonelli Looks to Keep Momentum as F1 Drivers Face Unknown Challenges of Madrid Track at Spanish GP

06 September 2026, Italy, Monza: Italian Formula One driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of team Mercedes celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy. (dpa)
06 September 2026, Italy, Monza: Italian Formula One driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of team Mercedes celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy. (dpa)
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Antonelli Looks to Keep Momentum as F1 Drivers Face Unknown Challenges of Madrid Track at Spanish GP

06 September 2026, Italy, Monza: Italian Formula One driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of team Mercedes celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy. (dpa)
06 September 2026, Italy, Monza: Italian Formula One driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of team Mercedes celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy. (dpa)

Kimi Antonelli is coming off one of the biggest highs of his career — an epic comeback win in Monza in front of his home fans to extend his lead in Formula 1.

The young Italian will look to keep his momentum and add to his points lead this weekend as the Spanish Grand Prix returns to Madrid after more than four decades — in a race featuring the unknowns of a new hybrid circuit that drivers called “crazy” and “insane” even before cars got to the track.

Antonelli rallied from 19th on the grid to win last weekend's Italian GP in what he called an "absolutely incredible" feat.

"Definitely so far the best day of my life, and an incredible memory,” Antonelli said Thursday. "Wish (I had) a bit more time to realize and enjoy it, but now obviously we are in Madrid and we are ready to do our best and we’ll try to repeat.”

Last weekend's victory gave the 20-year-old Antonelli a 66-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell with 10 races remaining, including Sunday's debut of the Madring track that has put the F1 paddock on edge.

The Spanish GP ends the European part of the season. The Madrid region last hosted an F1 race in 1981 at Jarama, on the outskirts of the Spanish capital. Barcelona had been the home of the Spanish GP in recent years. The Jerez de la Frontera track in southern Spain hosted races from 1986-90, and in 1994 and 1997. Madring signed a contract with F1 through 2035.

Exciting new track

The 5.4-kilometer (3.3-mile) Madring track, the newest addition to the F1 calendar since Las Vegas' debut three years ago, combines high-speed zones, heavy-braking areas, changes of gradient, blind turns and high-load corners that should give drivers little margin for error. It mixes existing roads with purpose-built areas, and in most sections cars will run extremely close to the walls.

The heavily banked corner “La Monumental” is expected to be the highlight of the new track. It is nearly 550 meters (yards) in length and cars will spend about six second on it. There is up to 10 meters (yards) of height difference between its lower and upper sections.

“It seems a wild track to be fair. It’s mental but excited to experience it. Going to be a real challenge and I think qualifying is going to be important,” said Russell, who hasn't won since the Austrian GP in June. “The level of everyone in F1 is exceptionally high. It’s going to be a circuit where you need confidence. Very challenging, lots of high speed corners, aggressive curbs. Going to be an experience for sure. Just try and keep out of the wall and build up to it.”

‘Insane’ and ‘crazy’ layout

Alpine's Pierre Gasly said the “track itself looked insane” on the simulator. Haas' Esteban Ocon called it a “crazy circuit” with “a lot of risk-reward.” Aston Martin's veteran two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso expected “high-adrenaline” laps.

“The track seems difficult, first of all, to learn, very technical, a lot of curb riding and a couple of high-speed sections where you need to get very close to the walls, which is very attractive and very high adrenaline for a driver,” Alonso said.

Cars from Formula 2 and Formula 3 will be the first to take to the track on Friday. F1 drivers will have two practice sessions later in the day. Another session will be on Saturday, before qualifying. The F1 race is Sunday.

There were plenty of red flags when the F3 cars first tested the track last month, and more are expected this weekend.

Ferrari says Monza squabble is in the past

Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton said they talked after a near collision between the two at the team's home race in Monza last weekend, and their relationship remains strong.

Leclerc on Thursday said he took responsibility for the incident early in the race, and Hamilton praised his teammate's maturity.

Both drivers said the focus now was on helping the team get closer to Mercedes.

“Just making sure we’re executing to make sure we get the best results for the team instead of us working against each other and finishing fourth and fifth,” Hamilton said. “Maybe you can work together and get a podium and pull off more points.”

Spanish drivers face uphill battle

Organizers said tickets for the Spanish GP were sold out, with 350,000 people in total expected to attend the event over the three days of racing.

It's unlikely they will be celebrating a victory for one of the two Spanish drivers on the F1 grid, as Alonso's Aston Martin and Carlos Sainz's Williams have been well off the pace this season.

“I think it’s no secret that it’s still going to be a struggle for us,” Sainz said. “I couldn’t think about a layout that is probably more difficult for our car. But it’s OK. I’m just going to work extremely hard to make sure this is the last year that I come here to Madrid without a chance of fighting for something bigger."