Gianni Infantino (foto: Getty Images)
Laura McAllister and Lise Klaveness emerged as leading voices during UEFA's emergency meeting, helping shape Europe's firm response to FIFA president Gianni Infantino's controversial proposal.
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When UEFA's Executive Committee gathered for an emergency meeting to discuss Gianni Infantino's controversial proposal to sell stakes in football's biggest competitions to private investors, many expected Europe's most influential football executives to dominate the debate.
Instead, according to multiple reports from The New York Times, two women emerged as the strongest voices in the room.
Laura McAllister of Wales and Lise Klaveness of Norway reportedly played a decisive role in shaping UEFA's response, which culminated in the organization considering a boycott of FIFA competitions if the governing body presses ahead with its disputed commercial plans.
The only women on UEFA's Executive Committee
McAllister and Klaveness are the only female members among the 21 officials serving on UEFA's Executive Committee.
During the meeting, McAllister reportedly argued for the strongest possible response, including a complete boycott of FIFA competitions if European football's concerns continue to be ignored.
Klaveness focused on governance, calling for greater transparency, stronger accountability and a new vision for FIFA's leadership should changes take place at the top of world football.
Sources familiar with the discussions said that, apart from UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, no members spoke more forcefully in favor of decisive action than McAllister and Klaveness.
From international football to football leadership
Both women earned respect long before entering football administration.
McAllister represented Wales during her playing career, while Klaveness spent 14 years with the Norway national team, winning 73 international caps and playing in the final of the 2005 UEFA Women's European Championship.
After retiring, both pursued careers beyond the pitch. McAllister became an academic, while Klaveness qualified as a lawyer before moving into football governance, breaking barriers in a sport where senior leadership positions have traditionally been dominated by men.
Long-standing advocates for reform
Klaveness made history in 2022 by becoming the first woman to lead the Norwegian Football Federation in its 120-year history.
One year later, McAllister became the first Welsh woman elected to UEFA's Executive Committee. She later helped secure reforms that increased the number of seats reserved for women on the committee from one to two.
Both have built reputations as outspoken advocates for reform within football.
Klaveness has repeatedly spoken about human rights, criticizing the staging of the World Cup in Qatar, questioning football's growing ties with Saudi Arabia and calling for greater attention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
McAllister has consistently pushed for stronger governance, higher ethical standards, greater representation of women in football leadership and broader inclusion across the game.
Influence beyond numbers
Their role in UEFA's response has drawn particular attention because women remain significantly underrepresented at the highest levels of football governance.
UEFA's Executive Committee has only two female members out of 21, while the FIFA Council includes eight women among its 37 members. Across FIFA's 211 national associations, only a small number are currently led by female presidents.
Against that backdrop, many figures within European football believe McAllister and Klaveness did far more than represent diversity. According to those close to the discussions, they helped shape UEFA's resistance to Infantino's proposal and demonstrated that influence in football is measured by leadership rather than numbers alone.