FIFA has released a statement in support of its president, Gianni Infantino, denouncing what it describes as a coordinated effort to undermine his leadership within the organization. The statement was issued on Saturday, following a report by The Daily Telegraph questioning a payment made by UEFA to a female staff member who had worked with Infantino during his time as the general secretary of European soccer’s governing body.
UEFA confirmed the existence of a “departure payment” to the staff member, asserting that it adhered to the regulations in place at that time. Infantino had a 16-year tenure at UEFA before assuming the role of FIFA president.
In its statement, FIFA criticized Infantino’s detractors for attempting to weaken his position and remove him from office without proper procedural steps. The organization stated, “There is clear evidence of an orchestrated and continuous campaign by certain individuals to undermine FIFA and its president.” It emphasized that those lacking the backing of FIFA’s member associations should not resort to unfounded allegations or misinformation to achieve their objectives.
FIFA also highlighted that some reports contained baseless claims and inaccuracies that should not be presented as truths. The organization stressed the importance of respecting FIFA’s established democratic processes and not undermining the authority of its elected president.
Infantino had faced criticism for his proposal to sell World Cup profits to private equity firms, a plan that was rejected by UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC. Despite the backlash, Infantino received support from FIFA’s management board during a meeting in Morocco, where he expressed regret over the process. UEFA maintained its stance on potentially boycotting FIFA competitions until the plan was abandoned, citing that recent rules governing exit payments for staff had been updated to align with modern organizational standards since 2016.