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A Manhattan federal judge on Thursday denied requests by two FIFA subsidiaries to intervene in UEFA's bid to obtain evidence about Gianni Infantino's failed World Cup private investor plan. Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the subsidiaries, FIFA (Americas) Inc. and FWC2026 US, Inc., lacked a direct, substantial and legally protectable interest in the proceedings, and wrote that nothing indicated FIFA itself would be a party in contemplated criminal proceedings. FIFA said the ruling was limited to its own subsidiaries and that the court had not addressed the merits of UEFA's application, so no documents must be produced. UEFA wants evidence from Joshua Kushner's firm Thrive and from advisers JP Morgan about the July sell-off plan, which was dropped after global backlash. UEFA's filings are part of a wider effort to remove Infantino as FIFA president, including a potential criminal complaint against him in Switzerland over alleged financial mismanagement. Infantino plans to stand for reelection in March, and the crisis is the biggest of his near 11-year presidency. The plan, called FIFA Forward Enterprise, would have sold more than 20% of a subsidiary running FIFA's tournaments to investors for $4.2 billion, with Thrive as anchor investor. Member federations were offered $20 million each to approve it. Infantino faces at least one challenger, Japanese official Kohzo Tashima, before a candidate deadline next Wednesday, and UEFA is reportedly trying to persuade Arsene Wenger to stand against him.