Fifa has fired deputy secretary general Markus Kattner after allegedly uncovering financial wrongdoing during an internal investigation.
Mr Kattner, who joined Fifa as director of finance in 2003, has been temporarily filling the top administrative job of world football's governing body since Jerome Valcke was suspended last year before being fired himself.
Fifa said: "Markus Kattner has been dismissed from his position effective immediately.
"Fifa's internal investigation uncovered breaches of his fiduciary responsibilities in connection with his employment contract."
Mr Kattner handled the 2011 request to pay Michel Platini two million Swiss Francs which led to the Uefa president being banned from football for four years.
Fifa has already announced that United Nations official Fatma Samoura is due to start work next month as the new permanent secretary general.