FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly denied allegations that inappropriate conduct was linked to a six-figure departure payment made to a woman during his time as general secretary of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
UEFA confirmed that the woman received the payment, stating that the arrangement complied with staff regulations in place at the time. However, the organisation said its rules governing staff departures have since been tightened.
The allegations were first reported by The Telegraph, which claimed that the woman received the settlement following an alleged affair with Infantino while he was serving as UEFA general secretary between 2009 and 2016.
A FIFA spokesperson said Infantino “strongly denies these allegations” and described them as “categorically untrue.”
The spokesperson added that any suggestion of inappropriate conduct or a breach of FIFA statutes or regulations was defamatory.
According to The Telegraph, multiple anonymous sources alleged that Infantino had a relationship with a junior UEFA employee who was subsequently promoted to a more senior and better-paid managerial position before receiving the payment when she left the organisation.
The report also alleged that UEFA paid for the woman’s MBA tuition at a local business school.
UEFA confirmed the payment and educational support, saying: “A departure payment was made to the individual in question, coupled with the payment of fees for an MBA course at a local business school.”
The governing body maintained that the arrangement complied with the regulations applicable to departing staff at the time, but noted that those rules had been strengthened since 2016.
The controversy comes at a difficult time for Infantino as he prepares for his re-election campaign amid growing tensions within world football.
FIFA recently faced backlash over leaked plans involving a proposal to sell partial commercial and operational rights to the World Cup. Although the proposal was eventually abandoned, the dispute has intensified concerns over Infantino’s leadership.
UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, and has publicly expressed a loss of confidence in the FIFA president. The European governing body is also seeking assurances that similar proposals will not be pursued in the future.
A UEFA boycott could have a significant impact, potentially excluding six of the current top 10-ranked nations in both men’s and women’s football from FIFA competitions.
Players’ union FIFPRO has also said its confidence in FIFA’s leadership has been “fundamentally broken.”
However, Infantino continues to receive support from other major football confederations. South American governing body CONMEBOL declined to support an extraordinary congress aimed at challenging his leadership, instead opting to follow the established timetable for the next FIFA presidential election.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has likewise maintained its backing for Infantino.
