Platini Takes FIFA To Court, Sues Infantino Over 2015 Corruption Fallout

Former UEFA president Michel Platini has launched both civil and criminal legal action against FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, alleging that a corruption case that emerged in 2015 was used to derail his bid to become the head of world football.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The 70-year-old former France captain has filed a criminal complaint in France, accusing Infantino, former FIFA legal director Marco Villiger, and former FIFA audit committee chairman Domenico Scala of malicious prosecution.

According to BBC Sport, Platini has also initiated separate civil proceedings seeking financial compensation from FIFA. He claims that deliberate efforts were made to block his path to succeeding Sepp Blatter as FIFA president ahead of the 2016 election.

Platini served as UEFA president between 2008 and 2015 and was widely considered the frontrunner to take over leadership of FIFA.

However, his presidential ambitions collapsed following controversy surrounding a payment of two million Swiss francs (£1.6 million) made to him in 2011. The payment, reportedly approved by then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter, later became central to a major corruption investigation.

The scandal triggered one of the most turbulent periods in FIFA’s history, ultimately leading to Blatter’s resignation and ending Platini’s bid for the presidency.

FIFA’s ethics committee later imposed an eight-year ban on Platini from football activities, although the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced it to four years on appeal.

Both Platini and Blatter were subsequently prosecuted in Switzerland over the payment, but a Swiss federal criminal appeals court acquitted them of corruption charges in March 2025.

Gianni Infantino, who previously worked under Platini as UEFA general secretary, eventually succeeded Blatter as FIFA president and now leads world football’s governing body.