FIFA president Gianni Infantino faces fresh turmoil after a British newspaper alleged he paid off a former UEFA colleague with whom he had an intimate relationship and helped her secure a promotion. The claims, published late Friday by The Telegraph, arrive as Infantino already battles fallout from his abandoned World Cup private investment plan. Main Developments The Telegraph, citing unnamed sources, reported that the employee received a six-figure sum upon her departure from UEFA, plus roughly 45,000 ($60,700) in business school tuition fees. Infantino served as UEFA's secretary general from 2009 to 2016, and the alleged payments occurred during his tenure there. Read also: Shakib's exile deepens: why Bangladesh won't let him return UEFA confirmed to AFP that a departure payment and MBA course fees were made to the individual, but insisted the payout complied with regulations for departing staff at the time, adding that such rules have been tightened since 2016. The governing body did not comment on the alleged affair or promotion. A FIFA spokesperson, quoted by The Telegraph, said Infantino "strongly denies these allegations" and called them "categorically untrue." FIFA added that any insinuation of inappropriate conduct is defamatory, and that no employee has ever complained about Infantino's behaviour because "there never was an incident where he was involved." Background The allegations surface amid a turbulent period for Infantino, who announced late last month a plan to open World Cup hosting to private investors—a move that provoked fierce backlash from UEFA, which threatened to boycott the tournaments. Infantino, married since 2001, withdrew the plan, but UEFA deemed the withdrawal insufficient and stood by its boycott threat on Thursday. The Telegraph did not name its sources for the affair claims, and a FIFA spokesperson had not responded to AFP by Saturday. Infantino is seeking re-election in March. Why It Matters These new accusations compound the existing crisis facing Infantino, testing his credibility as FIFA president and his relationship with UEFA, a key governing body. If proven, the claims could undermine his re-election bid and further strain the already fragile trust between FIFA and European football authorities. What's Next Infantino has yet to publicly respond beyond the denial issued through FIFA, and UEFA has not elaborated on the timing or details of the payments. With the re-election scheduled for March, the coming weeks will reveal whether this controversy gains traction or fades, and whether UEFA follows through on its boycott threat.