World Cup 2026: Gianni Infantino at centre of criminal complaint after corruption allegations

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is the subject of a criminal complaint from his former UEFA boss Michel Platini, just days before the 2026 World Cup gets underway.

Platini, a French football icon and three-time Ballon d’Or winner, was deemed the favourite to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in 2016 until the launch of an ethics probe into a multi-million-pound payment he received from Blatter five years earlier.

The 70-year-old was banned for eight years by FIFA’s ethics committee in 2015, thought this sanction was later reduced to four years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Criminal proceedings were initiated against Platini and Blatter regarding the disputed funds; they secured their first acquittal from a Swiss federal court in 2022, followed by a second, definitive clearance from the appeals court in 2025.

Now, Platini’s legal team have confirmed that they are launching proceedings in Paris against Infantino and two former FIFA officials, legal director Marco Villiger and head of auditing and compliance Domenico Scala.

As confirmed by Platini’s lawyer Olivier Baratelli, the criminal complaint alleges that Infantino, Villiger and Scala orchestrated a co-ordinated effort to block Platini from contesting the FIFA presidency.

Infantino is alleged to be the one 'first and foremost' engineering Platini's exclusion.

Infantino, FIFA to be sued by Platini over corruption claims

Platini is also suing FIFA for financial damages, claiming that football’s world governing body intentionally engineered a plot to block him from replacing Blatter.

Infantino worked as UEFA general secretary under Platini before winning the election to succeed Blatter as FIFA president a decade ago, a powerful post he has held ever since.

These allegations have surfaced just a few days before Mexico kick-start the 2026 World Cup against South Africa on Thursday, heaping pressure on Infantino and FIFA ahead of a newly-expanded 48-team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Infantino, who has often shared a political stage with U.S. President Donald Trump, is due to face media on Wednesday on the eve of the 23rd edition of FIFA’s biggest international football tournament.

Multiple news outlets claim that FIFA have been asked for comment following Platini's legal complaints, but they have yet to issue an official response.