UEFA’s alleged payment to Infantino’s supposed lover fuels fresh scandal

UEFA is accused of paying a six‑figure severance and covering MBA fees for a woman alleged to be the lover of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a claim the Swiss official denies as false. The allegation stems from his time as UEFA secretary general between 2009 and 2016 and has prompted calls for an investigation.

Gianni Infantino served as UEFA secretary general from 2009 to 2016 before becoming FIFA president, a trajectory highlighted by Reuters in the caption accompanying his silhouette.

On Friday night, the English newspaper The Telegraph revealed that UEFA allegedly paid the woman a severance that reached at least six figures and also funded her MBA tuition at a local business school. The report says the payment coincided with her promotion from an administrative role to a higher managerial post, a move that would have raised her salary by roughly 30%, about €170,000.

A UEFA spokesperson told The Telegraph, "We are aware of the accusations and can confirm that a severance payment was made to the person in question, together with the payment of MBA fees at a local business school. The payment was in line with the regulations at that time for staff leaving the organization." The statement confirms the financial elements but frames them as routine contractual compliance.

Since the alleged incident, UEFA says it has tightened its internal rules to align with those of a modern, high‑profile organisation, aiming to prevent similar controversies.

El image caption from Reuters shows the silhouette of Gianni Infantino, underscoring the media focus on his personal and professional history.

La response from FIFA arrived hours later through a spokesperson who categorically denied the accusations, calling them "false" and defamatory. The FIFA statement added that no employee of either UEFA or FIFA has ever filed a complaint concerning Infantino’s conduct.

Twenty‑four hours after the Telegraph story, the newspaper reported that UEFA is weighing a full investigation into Infantino’s entire tenure at the European body, seeking to determine whether the alleged relationship influenced personnel decisions.

Infantino joined UEFA in 2000, working on legal, commercial and professional football matters before rising to secretary general. The Telegraph also cited an ultimatum from former UEFA president Michel Platini, who allegedly told Infantino "either her or you" regarding the alleged affair. Infantino has been married to Leena Al‑Ashqar since 2001, met her while she worked for the Lebanese Football Federation, and they have four children; his future now hangs in the balance amid the scandal.