FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been named in a criminal complaint and civil action filed in France by former UEFA president Michel Platini, reopening long-running allegations linked to the 2016 FIFA presidential transition just days before the 2026 World Cup kicks off.
The complaint was filed in Paris on Monday, June 8, 2026, and also names former FIFA officials Marco Villiger and Domenico Scala.
Platini, 70, alleges that senior football administrators played roles in processes that led to his exclusion from the FIFA presidential race in 2016, effectively ending his bid to succeed Sepp Blatter.
The dispute stems from a two million Swiss franc payment in 2011 from Blatter to Platini for consultancy work.
The transaction came under investigation in September 2015, triggering ethics proceedings that resulted in Platini’s suspension that same year.
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He was initially banned for eight years in 2015, later reduced to four years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, ruling him out of the FIFA election held in February 2016, which Infantino went on to win.
Platini and Blatter were later prosecuted in Switzerland but were acquitted by a federal criminal court in March 2022, with the decision upheld on appeal in 2025.
In the new filing, Platini is seeking damages, arguing that the disciplinary process and related proceedings unjustly damaged his reputation and denied him the chance to contest FIFA’s top office.
Infantino, who previously worked under Platini as UEFA general secretary before becoming FIFA president in 2016, has not responded to the allegations. FIFA has also declined comment.
The case adds fresh tension to world football’s governing body on the eve of the 2026 World Cup, renewing scrutiny of one of the most contentious leadership changes in FIFA history.