Gianni Infantino Scandal: FIFA President Hit by New Allegations as Crisis Deepens

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Gianni Infantino’s increasingly turbulent reign as FIFA president has taken another dramatic turn, with fresh allegations surrounding an alleged relationship with a junior UEFA employee during his time as the organisation’s general secretary.

The claims, reported by The Telegraph, allege that the woman was promoted and received a significant pay increase during the period in which she was allegedly in a relationship with Infantino, before later leaving UEFA with a six-figure payment and funding towards an MBA.

Infantino has categorically denied the allegations, with FIFA saying there had never been a complaint from an employee regarding his behaviour and describing suggestions of inappropriate conduct or breaches of regulations as defamatory.

The allegations have nevertheless added another layer to an already enormous crisis this week surrounding the FIFA president.

According to The Telegraph, Infantino allegedly had a relationship with a junior female employee while he was serving as UEFA's general secretary. The report claims the employee subsequently received a promotion and substantial pay increase.

After she left UEFA, the organisation is reported to have provided a significant departure payment and covered the cost of an MBA course at a local business school. UEFA has confirmed that a payment was made and that it covered the woman's MBA fees.

However, UEFA said the payments were consistent with the regulations that existed at the time. The organisation also confirmed that its regulations have since been tightened, which is an important distinction in this story.

There is currently no established finding that Infantino personally authorised an improper payment, nor has there been a confirmed finding that he breached UEFA regulations.

The controversy centres on the alleged relationship, the timing of the promotion and the financial arrangements surrounding the employee's departure.

Infantino strongly denies wrongdoing and FIFA has pushed back forcefully against the allegations.

A spokesperson said Infantino "strongly denies" them and described claims of inappropriate conduct or violations of statutes and regulations as defamatory.

FIFA also stated that no employee at either UEFA or FIFA had ever lodged a complaint regarding Infantino's behaviour.

The organisation further argued that employee departures and severance arrangements had been approved by the appropriate directors in accordance with the rules that applied at the time.

That means the allegations remain allegations rather than proven misconduct. But the timing makes the story particularly damaging for Infantino.

The latest allegations come at arguably the most vulnerable point of Infantino's presidency. Just days ago, FIFA abandoned its controversial plan to create a private commercial entity that could have sold stakes in future World Cup revenues to outside investors.

The proposal was met with furious opposition from UEFA and other football authorities, while FIFA staff also questioned the way the project had been handled. FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour accused the organisation of deceiving employees over the plan and described it as the project of one person.

UEFA has subsequently said it has lost confidence in Infantino's presidency and has warned of potential legal action over the failed proposal. That means the alleged personal scandal is arriving at exactly the moment Infantino is already fighting a major political battle to retain control of FIFA.

The allegations are also the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Infantino's relationship with political figures.

During the 2026 World Cup, US President Donald Trump contacted Infantino following Folarin Balogun's red card and publicly pushed for the suspension to be reviewed.

FIFA subsequently suspended the implementation of Balogun's one-match ban, allowing him to play in the United States' next match. Infantino acknowledged receiving Trump's call but denied interfering in the disciplinary process.

The incident became controversial enough that the organisation FairSquare called on the International Olympic Committee to investigate Infantino's possible role in the reversal. The controversy added to concerns that political relationships were beginning to influence FIFA's sporting decisions.

The biggest threat to Infantino's position, however, has been his proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise.

The plan would have created a new commercial entity capable of selling stakes in future World Cup-related revenues to private investors.

Among the investors reportedly linked to the proposal were people connected to Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law.

UEFA responded furiously, accusing FIFA of attempting to use football to enrich itself and its associates, while warning that the governance of the sport could not simply be treated as a commercial asset. The proposal was eventually abandoned after the backlash.

But the damage to Infantino's relationship with European football appears to have been much harder to repair.

Infantino's opponents are growing by the day. The FIFA president has faced an extraordinary level of criticism in recent weeks.

Jordanian Football Association president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein accused FIFA of using "blackmail" to pressure countries into supporting Infantino's re-election.

Prince Ali claimed Jordan had been denied money owed following the Arab Cup and suggested FIFA was using financial assistance as leverage for political support. FIFA has rejected the accusations. UEFA has also maintained that it has lost confidence in Infantino.

England's Football Association subsequently backed UEFA's call for a full review of FIFA's leadership and governance.

At the same time, former FIFA officials and other football figures have increasingly questioned whether Infantino has accumulated too much power within the organisation.

Infantino is now facing questions about:

His alleged relationship with a former UEFA employee.
The payment made to that employee after she left UEFA.
Whether she received favourable treatment during their alleged relationship.
His close relationship with Donald Trump.
The controversial reversal of Folarin Balogun's suspension.
The failed attempt to commercialise future World Cup revenues.
Allegations that FIFA used financial incentives to secure political support.
His handling of FIFA's governance.
Growing opposition from UEFA and other football authorities.

Infantino has denied wrongdoing across the controversies where he has been personally implicated.

The timing could hardly be worse for Infantino.

The FIFA president was previously expected to cruise into another term with little meaningful opposition.

Now, however, UEFA is actively considering alternatives and the political landscape around FIFA has changed dramatically.

His supporters still point to the enormous growth of FIFA's revenues, the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams and increased funding for football development around the world.

But his opponents argue that those achievements cannot excuse what they describe as increasingly questionable governance.

The new allegations surrounding his time at UEFA are unlikely to disappear quickly.

There is no established finding that Infantino committed misconduct in relation to the alleged relationship or the payment, and he has categorically denied the allegations.

But politically, the story is another major problem for a FIFA president whose authority has already been seriously weakened.

After a decade in charge of world football, Gianni Infantino is now fighting a battle not simply over his reputation, but over whether he can continue to command the confidence of football's most powerful associations.

And with FIFA's presidential election approaching, the coming months could determine whether Infantino's era ends with another term in power, or the biggest leadership challenge football's governing body has seen in years.