FIFA is defending its president, Gianni Infantino, against allegations tied to his time at UEFA. After UEFA confirmed it made a “departure payment” to a former female employee connected to Infantino—who had served as UEFA’s general secretary—FIFA says critics are engaged in what it describes as a “concerted and ongoing effort” to weaken his leadership.
Across reports, FIFA’s response centers on claims that unnamed detractors are trying to destabilise the organization and remove Infantino “without due process,” arguing that insinuation and misinformation are being used instead of proper channels. UEFA’s role is described as acknowledging the payment and stating it was consistent with regulations at the time. Some outlets frame the dispute as part of broader European football discontent with Infantino, while others focus more on FIFA’s rebuttal and the language it uses to dismiss the allegations.
The outlets agree on the core sequence: UEFA confirms a severance/departure payment related to Infantino-era employment, and FIFA publicly disputes the criticism, casting it as a coordinated effort to undermine its president rather than address allegations through established processes.
