By Sports Correspondent
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing renewed scrutiny over allegations surrounding a substantial payment made by UEFA to a former female employee who has been described in reports as his alleged lover during his tenure as the organisation’s secretary-general.
The allegations, reported by British national newspaper The Daily Telegraph and subsequently picked up by several international media organisations, claim that the woman received a substantial departure payment after leaving UEFA, while the organisation also covered fees for an MBA course.
Infantino, however, has denied both the alleged love relationship and any improper use of UEFA funds, describing the allegations as “categorically untrue” and defamatory.
The controversy centres on events during Infantino’s tenure as UEFA secretary-general, a position he held from 2009 until 2016. According to the reports, the woman was a junior UEFA employee at the time and was promoted during the period in which the pair were alleged to have been in a relationship.
UEFA has confirmed that a payment was made to the employee, although the organisation disputes any suggestion that it constituted a payoff linked to the alleged relationship.
A UEFA spokesperson said: “We are aware of the allegations and can confirm 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 payment was in line with the regulations that existed for departing staff at the time.
“Such regulations have been tightened since 2016 and the current staff regulations — which apply to all UEFA employees at whatever level — reflect those found in a modern, high-profile organisation.”
UEFA’s confirmation that a payment was made has intensified scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the employee’s departure, although there is no established evidence that the payment was made specifically because of the alleged personal relationship.
Infantino’s denial places the focus on the evidence behind the allegations and the circumstances in which the payment was authorised.
The allegations are particularly significant because Infantino’s years at UEFA preceded his rise to the FIFA presidency in 2016. Any questions concerning his conduct or the administration of UEFA during that period are therefore likely to attract considerable international attention.
Infantino has been at the centre of football’s global power structure since being elected FIFA president in 2016. Before that, he served as UEFA secretary-general and played a prominent role in European football administration.
FIFA, meanwhile, has strongly defended its president.
Infantino’s spokesperson said the allegations were false and defamatory, while FIFA maintained that employment decisions involving staff were handled according to the organisation’s procedures and approvals.
“FIFA president Gianni Infantino strongly denies these allegations, and they are categorically untrue,” the spokesperson told The Telegraph.
“No employee at UEFA and FIFA has ever raised a complaint regarding Infantino’s behaviour because there never was an incident where he was involved.
“All company actions related to employees, including any departure and severance packages, have always been approved by the appropriate directors in accordance with all applicable regulations.”
The controversy raises broader questions about transparency and accountability within football’s governing institutions, where senior officials exercise considerable influence over employment, finances and organisational decisions.
However, there has been no established finding that the UEFA payment was made to conceal an affair or that Infantino improperly authorised funds for personal reasons.
The controversy is nevertheless likely to increase pressure on football’s governing bodies to explain precisely why the payment was made, who authorised it, what contractual obligations it covered and whether similar arrangements were available to other departing employees.
Those questions could prove more consequential than the allegations themselves as scrutiny intensifies over the governance of international football.
The latest controversy comes at a difficult time for Infantino, who has faced increasing tensions with UEFA over his leadership of world football and proposals concerning the commercial management of FIFA competitions.
The plan was rejected by UEFA and two other continental confederations. On Wednesday, Infantino was backed by FIFA’s management board following a meeting in Morocco and subsequently apologised over the process.
UEFA’s threat to have its 55 member associations boycott FIFA competitions unless the plan was scrapped remains in place, with the European confederation saying on Thursday that Wednesday’s announcement “changes nothing”.
