FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing renewed pressure following reports that UEFA paid severance compensation to a woman linked to an alleged relationship with him.
Infantino categorically rejects the allegations, while UEFA confirmed making the payment and stated that it complied with staff rules in place at the time.
The new controversy emerges during a difficult period for the FIFA chief, following recent leaks regarding commercial rights for the World Cup.
Allegations over UEFA severance payment
The British newspaper The Telegraph reported on Friday that UEFA paid an alleged lover of Infantino while he served as general secretary of the European governing body. Citing multiple anonymous sources, the newspaper reported that Infantino had a relationship with a subordinate employee during his tenure at UEFA from 2009 to 2016.
According to the report, the unnamed woman received a promotion to a more lucrative managerial position before receiving a six-figure payment upon her departure. The newspaper also reported that UEFA paid tuition fees for her to attend an MBA program.
A FIFA spokesperson told The Telegraph that Infantino categorically denies the claims, calling them completely untrue. The spokesperson added that any suggestion of improper conduct or violation of statutes or regulations is defamatory.
In a statement to CNN, UEFA confirmed paying departure compensation to the individual alongside tuition fees for an MBA program at a local business school. UEFA stated that the payment aligned with staff regulations in force at the time, noting that its personnel rules were tightened in 2016 to reflect modern organizational standards.
FIFA response and governance dispute
FIFA released a statement on Saturday condemning attempts to bypass its statutes, democratic processes, and governance framework. The organization stated that a coordinated effort is underway by certain parties to undermine FIFA and its president.
The governing body added that individuals without the support of member associations should not use allegations, insinuations, or misinformation to achieve what they cannot win through democratic procedures. FIFA stated that while it welcomes legitimate scrutiny, such scrutiny should not serve as an excuse to distort facts or create distractions.
The federation also warned that it will directly and forcefully refute any reports that it considers inaccurate or misleading.
World Cup rights leak and boycott threat
The claims arrived two weeks after leaked plans showed FIFA intended to sell part of the commercial and operational rights to the World Cup. FIFA subsequently dropped the plans, but tension between football governing bodies remains high.
UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, publicly stating that it has lost confidence in Infantino's leadership. Although senior FIFA officials expressed support for Infantino during an emergency meeting on Wednesday, UEFA maintained its boycott threat for future men's and women's World Cups while demanding guarantees that rights sales will not be repeated.
If UEFA carries out its boycott threat, six of the top ten national teams in both men's and women's football would be absent from the World Cup.
Confederation reactions and election timeline
The international players union FIFPRO stated that its confidence in FIFA leadership has been shaken to its foundation. Meanwhile, South American confederation CONMEBOL, which opposed the commercial rights proposal, announced it will not support an extraordinary congress to vote on Infantino's future, opting instead to follow the schedule for presidential elections early next year.
The Confederation of African Football, which relies heavily on FIFA financial distributions, expressed its continued support for Infantino.
