Former France international Michel Platini has lodged a fresh criminal complaint in Paris against FIFA president Gianni Infantino and five Swiss officials. The filing follows Platini’s 2025 acquittal in a second Swiss trial that cleared him of corruption charges. He claims a conspiracy of false accusations kept him from succeeding Sepp Blatter as FIFA chief for the past decade.

Platini’s complaint names Switzerland’s former attorney general Michael Lauber and former FIFA legal director Marco Villiger among others. He alleges the Swiss investigation of a $2.5 million payment—aimed at removing both him and Blatter from office—was a cover‑up. The suit also seeks civil damages from FIFA, echoing accusations first raised in 2022 against Swiss authorities in the French court.

Infantino, elected in 2016 as a surprise candidate from UEFA, will open the North American World Cup next month. The legal battle arrives just weeks before the tournament, heightening scrutiny over FIFA’s governance. If the complaint succeeds, it could force a re‑evaluation of the organization’s leadership and impact its reputation ahead of the global event for fans worldwide.