Infantino denies UEFA paid off his alleged mistress while he was general secretary

Gianni Infantino has "strongly" denied that UEFA paid off an alleged mistress while he was the European football governing body's general secretary.

The Daily Telegraph said the woman received a six-figure sum after the alleged relationship with Mr Infantino, the embattled FIFA president who is facing calls to quit over his World Cup sell-off plan.

UEFA paid for the woman's MBA degree after she left the organisation, the paper reported.

In a statement to Sky News, UEFA said a "departure payment" was made to a woman as well as "the payment of fees for an MBA course at a local business school".

"The payment was in line with the regulations that existed for departing staff at the time," a spokesperson added.

"Such regulations have been tightened since 2016 and the current staff regulations - which apply to all UEFA employees at whatever level - reflect those found in a modern, high-profile organisation."

A FIFA spokesman told Sky News that Mr Infantino "strongly denies these allegations, and they are categorically untrue".

"Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct or violation of statutes or regulations is defamatory," the spokesman added.

Mr Infantino worked at UEFA from 2000 until leaving in 2016, when he took up his current role at FIFA.

In response to the claim that senior figures at UEFA had concerns over Mr Infantino's conduct, the FIFA spokesman said: "No employee at UEFA and FIFA has ever raised a complaint regarding Mr Infantino's behaviour because there never was an incident where he was involved.

"All company actions related to employees, including any departure and severance packages, have always been approved by the appropriate directors in accordance with all applicable regulations."

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The allegations come after controversy over FIFA's plans to sell a stake in the World Cup, triggering a row between the sport's managing bodies that led to the FIFA chief eventually walking back the plan and apologising.

Despite the apology, UEFA insisted on Thursday it would still boycott any future World Cups as it had lost confidence in Mr Infantino.

Even as the widespread calls for him to step down grow, he is showing no signs of quitting.

The English FA sent a letter to FIFA withdrawing its support for Infantino's re-election as president, Sky News reported on Thursday, with Norway also withdrawing its support for Mr Infantino on Friday and asking him to "resign now".

UEFA also told Sky News the "conditions have not been met" to lift its World Cup boycott and there is still a lack of confidence in Mr Infantino.

Meanwhile, Mexico, Argentina, Qatar, Egypt and Morocco have thrown their support behind Mr Infantino.

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