India, June 21 -- Brazilian football chief Samir Xaud has landed in the middle of a major off-field controversy, and this one has nothing to do with results on the pitch. The 42-year-old president of the Brazilian Football Confederation is facing allegations that federation money was used to cover international travel linked to an affair, putting him at the centre of a scandal just as World Cup attention ramps up.

According to reports, Xaud is accused of flying his alleged mistress to New York using federation funds before later travelling to Mexico City, where he joined his wife for the World Cup opening ceremony. The claims have quickly turned into a fresh headache for Brazilian football, with the federation boss now facing scrutiny ov...