Infantino denies paying €150,000 to alleged lover

Gianni Infantino has denied claims that Uefa paid off a woman who says she had an affair with him while he was Uefa’s general secretary. The woman, identified in the Daily Telegraph investigation as a former Uefa employee, received a severance payment reported to be around €150,000 after the affair allegedly ended in 2015. Infantino, now Uefa president, called the allegations “fake news” and said he had never paid anyone to hide a relationship.

The investigation raises questions about Uefa’s handling of workplace relationships and severance deals under Infantino’s leadership. Uefa’s ethics rules at the time did not explicitly ban relationships between employees, but conflicts of interest were supposed to be disclosed. The payment occurred while Infantino was general secretary, a role that gave him significant influence over staffing and financial decisions. The woman reportedly signed a non-disclosure agreement as part of her exit, a common practice in such cases but one that fuels speculation about what was being concealed.

Infantino’s denial comes as Uefa faces growing scrutiny over its governance and transparency. The organisation has long been criticised for its opaque decision-making, especially regarding World Cup hosting decisions and financial dealings with member associations. The Daily Telegraph report adds to concerns about a culture of secrecy at the top of European football. Uefa has not commented on whether the payment was standard procedure or linked to the affair.

Uefa’s executive committee is expected to review the allegations as part of its broader review of workplace policies. If the claims are proven true, they could damage Infantino’s reputation and trigger calls for stricter ethical guidelines. The case also highlights the broader issue of power imbalances in professional relationships in sports governance. For now, Infantino remains defiant, but pressure is likely to grow for a full independent review.