UEFA confirmed that the document had been sent to FIFA but declined to provide further details.
A preservation letter, also known as a litigation hold letter, formally instructs an organisation to retain potentially relevant documents, electronic messages and other records that could later be used as evidence in legal proceedings.
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The move comes after Infantino’s proposal to raise $4.2bn from investors, including New York-based investment firm Affinity Partners, was abandoned just days after it became public and triggered widespread opposition across football.
UEFA had led the backlash against the plan. Its 55 member associations agreed last week to boycott FIFA competitions and events for as long as the proposal remained active.
The Associated Press reported that UEFA’s lawyers have warned FIFA that the European governing body is “actively considering legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints” connected to the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan.
The letter, dated Friday and prepared by New York-based law firm Dechert, reportedly warned that destroying, deleting, altering or concealing relevant material after receiving the notice could amount to the destruction of evidence.
The preservation request reportedly covers 18 FIFA executives, including Infantino, chief financial officer Thomas Peyer and former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s head of global football development.
Wenger has since said he was not aware of Infantino’s plans.
FIFA has been contacted for comment.
The dispute has also intensified questions over Infantino’s political future inside world football. UEFA has openly challenged his leadership, while the Swedish Football Association said it was looking for an alternative candidate for the FIFA presidency ahead of next March’s election.
UEFA said last weekend that Infantino had lost the confidence of world football and that “no option should be off the table”.
Infantino abandoned the investment proposal on Saturday. Under the plan, FIFA’s 211 member associations would have received one-off payments of $20m, while a proposed spin-off valued by FIFA at about $20bn would have taken control of major commercial and tournament-related operations through at least 2038.
The proposal promised to more than double FIFA’s development funding over that period, but critics argued that it would fundamentally change the governance and financial structure of the organisation.
FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour described the project as the work of a single individual and said staff had felt deceived by Infantino.
UEFA lawyer Andrew J Levander wrote that legal proceedings were “reasonably anticipated”, citing concerns among football stakeholders that the plan was incompatible with proper governance.
The backlash has not been limited to Europe. The Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF also opposed the proposal, while Infantino continues to retain strong support in Africa and backing from South America’s CONMEBOL.
His position has nevertheless changed dramatically in less than two weeks.
Before the investment plan became public, the 56-year-old Infantino appeared virtually certain to win a fourth and final term as FIFA president in March, potentially remaining in office until 2031.
The proposed commercial spin-off had also raised speculation that Infantino could eventually move into a powerful commissioner-style position beyond his presidency, potentially earning considerably more than his current FIFA compensation.
FIFA had previously told representatives at the World Cup that Infantino had received letters of support from around 200 of its 211 member associations. Those commitments are now reportedly being reconsidered, with the Wales Football Association among the first to withdraw its backing.
The deadline for presidential candidates is November 18, with the election scheduled for March 18 in Morocco, one of Infantino’s strongest political allies and a co-host of the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
With UEFA now preserving evidence and openly considering legal action, Infantino’s once-secure path to another FIFA term has become far less certain.
