FIFA has defended president Gianni Infantino against what it described as a “concerted and ongoing effort” to weaken his leadership, following fresh questions about an exit payment made by UEFA to a former staff member during his time at European soccer’s governing body.

The statement was issued Saturday, one day after Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported on a six-figure payment made to a female UEFA employee who had worked with Infantino while he was the organisation’s general secretary.

The newspaper reported allegations of a personal relationship between Infantino and the staff member and raised questions over whether the relationship influenced decisions concerning her employment and eventual departure from UEFA.

UEFA confirmed that the payment had been made but said it complied with the rules governing departing employees at the time. The organisation added that its regulations had since been strengthened and now reflect standards expected of a major international organisation.

Senior UEFA officials have reportedly considered examining Infantino’s period at the organisation to determine how the payment was approved and whether the alleged relationship had any impact on employment decisions.

Infantino spent 16 years at UEFA before becoming FIFA president in 2016.

FIFA’s statement accused critics of attempting to weaken Infantino without following the organisation’s established procedures.

“It is increasingly evident that there is a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine FIFA and its president,” the governing body said.

FIFA also criticised reports that it said contained unsupported allegations or claims presented without sufficient evidence. The organisation argued that disagreements with Infantino’s leadership should be addressed through FIFA’s democratic processes rather than through public allegations.

The controversy comes as Infantino faces another major dispute over his plans for FIFA’s commercial operations and the distribution of World Cup-related revenues.

His proposal to establish a private equity-backed structure involving World Cup profits has drawn strong opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation. UEFA has warned that its 55 member associations could consider boycotting FIFA competitions if the plan proceeds.

Infantino received support from FIFA’s management board following a meeting in Morocco last week and subsequently apologised for the way the proposal had been handled.

UEFA, however, said the backing had not changed its position. The European governing body said Thursday that the development “changes nothing” regarding its opposition to the plan.

The latest allegations add another challenge for Infantino as he seeks to maintain support among FIFA’s member associations while facing resistance from powerful continental confederations.

FIFA said criticism of its president should not be used to bypass the organisation’s formal electoral and governance procedures.

The United States government will pay German energy company RWE $1.22 billion (€1.06 billion) to relinquish several offshore wind leases, marking another major setback for the country’s renewable energy sector under President Donald Trump.

RWE said on Thursday that it had reached an agreement with the US Department of the Interior to give up leases linked to proposed wind projects off the coasts of New York, California and Louisiana.

The company said it had determined that there was no realistic path to obtaining permits for the projects in the foreseeable future.

The settlement comes as the Trump administration continues its efforts to halt or restrict offshore wind development across the United States. Trump has repeatedly criticised wind turbines, describing them as unattractive and an economic and environmental problem.

The president has also said he does not want new wind turbines built during his time in office.

The administration has increasingly favoured conventional energy sources as it seeks to expand domestic power production and meet rising electricity demand.

RWE said it would redirect some of its planned US investment towards gas projects. The company plans to spend $900 million acquiring a 16% stake in a liquefied natural gas project in Louisiana.

The German group said its US operations had broader plans to invest about €17 billion over the next six years. The investment programme is expected to increase its electricity generation capacity in the country from about 13 gigawatts across 27 states to 22 gigawatts by 2031.

The agreement follows a similar deal involving French energy company TotalEnergies. In March, the company agreed to relinquish offshore wind leases in the Carolina Long Bay and New York Bight areas.

The Interior Department said it would pay TotalEnergies about $1 billion under that arrangement, while the company planned to redirect investment towards natural gas projects.

US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum welcomed the RWE settlement, saying the agreement would support energy security and reliable electricity supplies.

The changes come as US electricity demand is expected to rise, driven partly by data centres, manufacturing and other energy-intensive industries. The Trump administration has argued that natural gas and other conventional energy sources can provide dependable power as the country expands its electricity infrastructure.

RWE’s decision highlights the growing uncertainty facing offshore wind developers in the US, where projects have encountered regulatory, political and economic obstacles.

For the company, shifting part of its investment towards gas represents a significant change in strategy as it responds to the changing US energy policy environment.